Finding Yourself
by tigress33
Summary: **COMPLETE** Alex is new, Colin is interested in her, but isn't he supposed to be with Amy? Colin's sick of the pressures to remember his past. Where's Ephram in all this? A story about realizing it's okay to not know who you are. Includes a love-square.
1. The ManStealer

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Author's Note: Hey everyone! I'm not a regular on the Everwood fanfic link of ff.net, but I'm a big fan of the show and I really felt bad for Colin. SO, here's my first Everwood fanfic! It takes place after "Price of Fame." Please read/review, I really appreciate it. And I'll try to read some of your fanfic to spread the support! Hope you enjoy!

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She had to give the people of Everwood credit, they didn't false advertise. It was just as freezing there as the pictures made it look. Dirty snow littered the ground. She trudged to school, what a joke. She cursed her parents for making her move there, she cursed herself for giving them a reason to uproot her and ship her here. She was officially in the middle of nowhere.

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"Class, we have a new student. Meet Alex Nasagawa," his history teacher said. God, what was his teacher's name again? Colin shook his head and looked up, expecting to see a nerdy looking Asian boy with thick glasses. 

He was mistaken. In front of the class stood an Asian girl, medium height, with hair almost the shade of Ephram's hair. She was very pretty, at least Colin thought so.

"Hey, the chick's got hair like Ephram's, what a freak," Bright commented to a buddy next to him. _Bright's friend's name was Charlie, right? _Colin thought. Bright sat in front of Colin and Charlie sat to Bright's right. 

Colin disagreed anyhow, the dark purple-red color suited her very nicely. 

"Alex is from Los Angeles," his history teacher added.

The class did not seem interested in the new student. Colin could tell that Alex did not enjoy being in front of an entire class of strangers. 

"Hey, did you see any movie stars?" Charlie asked cockily.

Alex turned her attention to him. "Do you know Julia Roberts?" Alex asked thoughtfully.

The boy became very interested. "Yeah..." he replied excitedly.

"Really? Cause I don't, do you have her number?" Alex replied. 

Colin and a few other students laughed heartily at her comment. Bright and Charlie just sneered. The history teacher frowned. 

"That's enough class. Alex, take the seat in the back corner, to the right of Colin," the history teacher said pointing to a rather attractive boy in the back.

Alex made her way to the back and sat down, never turning to Colin or anyone else while the teacher lectured. 

Colin was intrigued - she was new, she didn't know him. But he had Amy, right? Well, he was supposed to be with Amy, if only he could remember why he cared so much about her. She was nice, granted, but anxious. That freaked Colin out at times. What would be the harm in adding another friend? 

When the teacher had finished her lecture, there was still fifteen minutes left in the period which she gave to the class as free time. As Bright, Charlie and some of his other "friends" talked about the Lakers' recent comeback, Colin turned to Alex. 

"Excuse me, can you tell me what was the last thing the teacher said? About the grandfather clauses?" he asked her politely.

Alex looked up. Colin had amazing blue eyes. "Oh, um, people were only allowed to vote if their grandfathers could have voted. Since the grandfathers to the African-Americans were not allowed to vote, being slaves, they in turn were not allowed to vote," Alex explained.

"Right, thanks," Colin replied, trying vainly to write all Alex had said with his left hand. He really wanted his right hand back, he must have been right handed before.

Alex watched him struggle. "Did you break your arm playing sports or something?" she asked casually.

Colin didn't want to tell her the truth. "Something like that," he replied. "I'm right-handed, can you tell?" he added, smiling.

Alex smiled in return. "Here, lemme show you how to hold your pen with your left hand. I'm left-handed."

"Okay," Colin replied. 

She placed a pen in her hand. "It helps it you don't grab it like you would a knife. Rest the pen on your middle finger and thumb on the front of the pen. And then the index finger goes here," she said, showing him her hand. Colin tried to mimic her, but couldn't. "Here," she said, placing the pen in his hand, moving his fingers to loosely hold it in place. He liked her touch. Both were oblivious to the stares and whispers they were attracting from the rest of the class. "Try writing," she said.

He tried, it was easier, but not very legible. He laughed, "Guess I'm not ambidextrous."

She shrugged. "It's all good," she replied, smiling.

"I'm Colin," Colin said.

"Alex."

"Is that your real name?"

"Alexis is my real name, but I like Alex more," Alex replied.

"Why?" 

She thought about it. "Don't really know..."

The bell rang and the class got up and began filing out of the room. 

"So, what do you have next?" Colin asked. 

"English," Alex replied. 

"Same here. Wanna walk together?" he asked. 

"Um...I think they want you," Alex said, pointing to group of guys wearing the same Miners jacket Collin was wearing. 

"Colin, c'mon man!" Bright called to him. 

"You should get going," Alex said.

"Will you find the class okay? I don't mind walking with you," Colin said. 

"You might not mind, but I think they will. I pissed off that Neanderthal looking one already," Kris said, looking at Charlie. "I'll be fine, thanks," she added, walking off.

Colin smirked. Charlie did look like a Neanderthal. 

"Hey, why are you wasting your time with that chick?" Charlie asked as they made their way to English class. 

Colin shrugged. He didn't like the fact that his group of supposed friends were so close minded. Was he like this before the accident? If he was, he didn't like it at all. His friends seemed to think they ruled the school, which was really arrogant. Colin just didn't feel like he belonged.

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He watched her eating lunch all alone with a book in front of her. She was so engrossed in what she was reading that she didn't even notice when a girl slipped and fell, spilling the contents of her lunch on herself. She was crying and throwing a fit practically in front of Alex, something about her shirt being brand new, but Alex didn't even look up. Colin chuckled lightly.

"Colin? Are you listening to me?" Amy asked, looking at him.

He turned he attention to her. She had been speaking? "Uh, I'm sorry, what did you say?"

Amy frowned, turning around to see what Colin had been looking at. "Who is she?" she asked, a little angry.

"Oh, um, Alex. She's new," Colin said, taking a bite of his sandwich. He didn't like making Amy mad, and he didn't mean to, but he felt so trapped in an image he no longer fit.

"She's annoying," Bright commented.

"You don't even know her, man," Colin said.

Bright and Amy looked at him oddly, but said nothing. Colin resumed his watchful stare towards Alex.

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Alex had only sixth period left and then she was out of there. There must have been only two thousand students in the school, scarily different from the five thousand-student school she had come from in Los Angeles. Sixth period was Calculus, and she needed the notes from the semester to see if she understood everything the other kids had learned.

"Excuse me," she said to the girl in front of her, "do you have the notes to this class?" 

The girl turned around with a sneer on her face. "Look, if you know what's good for you, don't talk to me. I don't want anything to do with a new girl who has the nerve to go after Colin. He's Amy's," the girl said cruelly. 

Alex was shocked. What was going on? Perhaps this girl was just a little mental. She asked the boy next to her, "Excuse me, can I borrow your notes?" 

The boy did not even acknowledge her existence. She looked around the room and noticed that majority of the people gave her angry and distrustful looks, and she felt like crawling into a hole until high school was over. What did she do? She had shown Colin how to write left-handed, that was it, and now she was seen as a leper. It was scary how quickly word traveled in this school and it was even scarier that people reacted so fiercely to mere gossip.

Eventually the period ended and Alex quickly got out of the classroom and headed towards her locker. As she opened it, someone approached her.

"Hey."

She looked over to see Colin smiling at her.

"I don't think you should be here," she said coldly.

He frowned. "Did I do something?"

"No, apparently I did. People are ignoring my existence or being downright hostile to me because they think I'm trying to steal you away from this Amy girl. It's completely ridiculous! I don't even know you, I don't know who Amy is and people already have me pegged as a man-stealer! This town is way too small and these people have nothing better to do than to butt into my business and then judge me for it!" Alex said, frustrated.

Colin swallowed hard. He didn't mean for this to happen, his own popularity was still foreign to him. "Look, I'm sorry."

"Don't be. Just go away."

"You asked me how I broke my arm, remember?" he said tentatively.

"Yeah," she replied.

"Do you really want to know the truth?" he asked.

"Yes."

"I've been in a coma since the fourth of July. People thought I wouldn't survive or wake up. A brain surgeon who lives here did an operation and saved me. I woke up. But I don't remember anything about me or my past. And apparently, I was really popular and well-liked and had a girlfriend named Amy. I don't know her though, I don't know any of these people who claim to be my friends," he said quickly, watching her face for some sort of reaction.

There was none. She just stared at her locker for what seemed like minutes. 

"Are you gonna say something?" Colin asked.

"What can I say?" Alex asked softly. 

Colin shrugged. "Whatever you want to, I guess."

"Your life sucks more than mine does," Alex said frankly. Colin was shocked at her statement, but found it amusing. They both laughed. "So, um, you can't remember anything? At all? Not even your parents?"

He shook his head. "It's like I was born sixteen and in eleventh grade. I can't remember them or Amy or Bright who were supposed to have been my best friends."

"That much be really harsh on them as well," Alex replied thoughtfully. "Why are you being so nice to me?"

"Huh?" Colin was confused.

"You obviously have a very strong fan base. You don't need me added to the list," Alex said.

"I don't want a fan. I just want a friend," Colin replied.

"The whole school is your friend," Alex replied, slightly annoyed because she still did not understand why Colin was still talking to her.

"No, they're friends with the Colin I can't remember. It's suffocating to try and be that Colin. You don't know me, I don't know you, and that is really cool," he tried to explain. It was the same logic he used to want to befriend Ephram. 

Alex stared at her locker. "Look, it's not that I don't want to be friends with you, but do you think it's smart? I mean, people already think I'm a terrible person for showing you how to write with your left hand. C'mon, this school is a total joke! I have my own set of problems and being shunned for being your friend is not something I want add to the list," she explained.

"They won't bother you," Colin stated firmly.

Alex looked at him strangely. "What? How can you be so sure?"

"I'll ask that to not spread those types of rumors about you."

"Do you think you're some sort of god or something?" she asked, exasperated.

"No, but they think so," Colin replied. Alex laughed.

"Hey, Colin, what's up?" a boy greeted.

"Ephram, hey! Ephram, this is Alex Nasagawa, she's from Los Angeles," Colin said. "Alex, meet Ephram Brown. He's been here for a couple months."

"Nice to meet you," Ephram said.

"Same to you," Alex replied. "I like your hair," she added. 

Ephram looked at her and laughed. "Yours too."

"So, where are you from?" Alex asked.

"New York City."

"Ah, the other side of heaven," Alex commented. Colin didn't understand what she meant by that, but Ephram seemed to agree with her. He nodded and smirked.

"We should get going, who wants to stay in school longer than they have to?" Colin suggested.

As the three headed out of the building, Alex asked, "So, Ephram, are you in eleventh grade too?"

"Tenth, actually," he replied.

"He's in the same grade as Amy," Colin explained.

"You know Amy?" Ephram asked, trying to sound as casual as possible.

"Oh, no. But some people think I'm trying to steal Colin away from her," Alex replied truthfully. 

Colin was surprised that Alex answered questions so honestly. People around him have been so nice and helpful at times that Colin could never tell if their actions were genuine. 

"Wow, harsh claim," Ephram said.

"Yeah, and it's only my first day of school. Imagine what they will say about me in a week?" Colin and Ephram both laughed. Ephram understood why Colin was spending time with this new girl. She was smart, witty, and new. Ephram thought she was rather pretty as well, but that was besides the point.

"Colin! Where have you been?" Bright called out from beside the truck. A girl was beside the truck as well; Alex wondering if this was Amy. 

"Sorry to keep you waiting. You guys could have gone without me," Colin replied. 

"No way man, we always go to school and go home together," Bright said. 

That trapped feeling crept into Colin's mind. What happened if one day he really didn't want to go home with them? The routine was rather boring in his opinion.

Bright looked over to the two people accompanying Colin. "Hey Ephram," he said neutrally. 

"Bright," Ephram replied equally neutral. 

"This is Alex Nasagawa," Colin said, trying to relieve the bit of tension in the air. 

"Hey, I'm Bright," Bright mumbled. He didn't like the fact that Colin was hanging out with girl that wasn't his sister.

"I'm Amy," the girl replied, smiling slightly at Alex. She recognized her as the girl Colin was so transfixed over during lunch. She felt a stab of jealousy, but quickly dismissed it. 

Alex nodded. "Hi."

"Hi, Ephram," Amy said softly.

Ephram didn't look at her. "Hey." Alex sensed something between the two of them.

"We gotta get going, bro," Bright said.

"Right. I'll see you guys tomorrow," Colin said to Ephram and Alex.

"Later," Ephram said.

As the truck drove off, Ephram turned to Alex. "So, I didn't bring my bike to school today. Can I walk you home?"

"Sure," Alex replied.

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Author's Note: I desperately need your help! I cannot remember the name of that Italian/Chinese restaurant in Everwood and the name of that Chinese guy who owned it. I can't find any info on the Internet either. This is crucial to my story, so anyone who knows it please e-mail me or leave a review and I will worship you for eternity! Thanks!! 


	2. Lunchtime

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Author's Note: Thank you to **rchen@infovalue.com, Authress, Wadesbabygirl21**

Erriy, and** Lyn** for your support and info regarding my spelling for "Bright" and that the restaurant is "Gino Chang's and the diner is "Mama Joy's." I'll be using the diner later in the story, so this info is priceless. You guys rock! I hope you enjoy the story and please review if you get the chance! Thanks!

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"I don't mean to pry, but what's up with you and Amy?" Alex asked and she and Ephram walked away from the school.

"What do you mean?" Ephram asked innocently.

She shrugged. "You know, awkward silence and mumbling of hello's usually means tension."

"We were pretty good friends at one point," Ephram said. He didn't know why he was telling an almost complete stranger his history with Amy, but it just felt right. 

"Before Colin woke up?"

"Yeah."

She nodded, understanding now.

"So, what's up with you and Colin?" Ephram asked, smiling.

Alex smiled as well. "What do you mean?" she asked in the same tone Ephram used moments ago.

"Well, being there are always some truth to a rumor..." he said.

"He talked to me in first period. I showed him how to write with his left hand. And now I'm trying to steal him away from his girl," she replied casually.

Ephram chuckled. "I see, I see. Why are you here? I mean, who would want to give up L.A. weather for this crap?"

"Yeah, it's like seventy degrees in L.A. today. Can you believe that? But, uh, I just got in some trouble back home. So, my parents thought it would be better for me to get away from the 'bad influences' and come here. They completely overreacted, but that's what parents do a lot of the time, especially Asian parents," she said.

"I think all parents do that," Ephram replied, trying to think of what she could have done that was so terrible to make her parents move her here, away from all her friends. 

"What about you?" Alex asked.

Ephram looked at her strangely. "Colin didn't tell you?"

"Tell me what?"

Ephram smiled. Colin was probably the only person not to refer to him as 'Dr. Brown's son.' He really liked that about the guy.

"My dad had this nervous breakdown after my mom died. Moved us here and opened a free doctor's office. He was supposedly the best brain surgeon in the world," Ephram added somewhat bitterly.

"Did he do the operation on Colin?" Alex asked, remember what Colin had told her earlier.

"Yeah. Amy asked me to ask him if he would and he did," Ephram said uncomfortably. Alex could tell he didn't want to talk about that part anymore, and she didn't press him for more information.

"Everyone's connected to everyone else here, eh?" she said.

"Yeah, it's a little weird at first, but you get used to it. It can actually get kinda nice in a suffocating way." 

Alex smiled. "This is my stop," Alex said. 

Ephram looked around. "Uh, perhaps I need my eyes checked, but there are no houses here."

"So observant, Mr. Brown. I'll see you later, I'm sure," she said, walking into Gino Chang's restaurant. What was she doing there? He decided not to ask and walked home. 

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Lunch was Alex's favorite part of school. She could sit down, read, and be left alone. She became oblivious to the whispers and stares that went in her direction and focus on the words on the pages.

"Hey, who's the chequita bonita?" Wendell asked, looking over in Alex's direction.

"That's Alex, from Los Angeles," Ephram replied casually.

"You know her?"

"I met her yesterday, she's cool."

"Introduce me, man!" Wendell exclaimed.

"She's in eleventh grade," Ephram commented, trying to tell his friend that she was out of his league.

"Grade is no barrier! C'mon, E!" he begged.

"Call me that again and I won't," Ephram threatened.

"Okay, sorry Ephram, won't happen again."

The two strolled over to the empty table Alex was sitting at. 

"Hey, Alex," Ephram said.

Alex looked up and smiled. "Hey, Ephram."

"We were wondering if we could join you," he added. 

"Oh, sure," Alex said, motioning them to sit down. 

"Alex, this is Wendell, Wendell, this is Alex," Ephram introduced them quickly. He hoped Wendell didn't make a complete fool of himself.

"Nice to meet you," Alex said to Wendell.

"Believe me, the pleasure is all mine," Wendell replied in the most suave voice he could come up with.

Alex looked at him strangely. "You're in tenth, aren't you?"

Wendell was taken off guard. "Umm...yeah...how'd you know?"

Alex smiled. "Don't pretend, it'll get you farther with girls."

Wendell blushed while Ephram and Alex laughed.

"Now this is pathetic. Ephram and Wendell hanging out with that new girl," Charlie commented from the popular table. Colin looked up from his lunch to see Ephram and Alex laughing. 

"That girl is doomed," Bright added. 

"Totally. Besides the fact that she's a bitch, she gets pinned in the company of Wendell?" Charlie laughed as he spoke.

Colin realized that he didn't like Charlie. Bright and Amy were nice, but Charlie wasn't. He was too angry at his realization about Charlie that he didn't say anything.

"I heard that she was making moves on Colin," a girl gossiped. Colin couldn't remember her name. Carla? Kayla?...

"What?" Amy asked, angered.

"That's a total lie," Colin replied. 

"Then why do people have that idea, Colin?" Amy asked, nervously pulling her hair behind her ear.

"We talked, I don't see what's so terrible about talking," he answered, annoyed.

"Nothings wrong with talking, it's who you talk to," Bright said, patting Colin on the back to try and calm him down. "I think she's bad news."

"You don't even know her," Colin replied tiredly. This insistence on only talking to certain people was really bothering him. 

"And you do?" Amy asked.

Colin looked around at the table, all eyes were on him. "No, but I'm not the one judging her and calling her a bitch," he stated, looking over at Charlie and Bright. "And I would really appreciate it if people didn't gossip about her or Wendell or Ephram, it's pitiful," he added. 

The table was silent. 

"Okay, man," Bright said quietly.

The rest of lunch was eaten in silence at the popular table.

"No way, Two Towers was way better than Fellowship of the Ring," Alex said.

"C'mon, Two Towers became a war movie, Fellowship of the Ring at least stuck closer to the book," Wendell countered.

"Well, yeah, Two Towers had war scenes cause the book had war in it. I mean, how can you say that Helm's Deep wasn't amazing cinematography?"

"It was, I grant you that, but if you want to stick to the book, what is up with Aragorn getting thrown over the cliff by that wolf? It never happened in the book! And all that Arwen stuff, she's not even in the book!" Wendell argued.

"The writers took the Arwen stuff from the Appendices of the book. They hafta explain the elf/mortal relationship more, so they needed a vehicle to reveal all that info, which was Aragorn falling over the cliff. It wasn't in the book, you're absolutely right, but I think they did a good job of expanding the love story from info Tolkien had written and blending it into the movie," Alex replied. 

Wendell tried to find a counter-argument, but couldn't. The bell rang just then, ending lunch.

"Victorious!" Alex said, smiling.

"No, no, I will be back tomorrow and we'll duke this out. This is not over," Wendell added as he got up.

"I'll be waiting," Alex replied with mock arrogance and she watched Wendell walk off. She turned her attention to Ephram. "Not a big Lord of the Rings fan?"

"Can't say I am, but I will rent the DVD now that I sat through a whole debate without saying a word and feeling stupid," Ephram replied as they walked out of the cafeteria.

Alex laughed. "Make sure it's the 4-disc extended version DVD set. That one has commentary by the actors and Peter Jackson, the director," Alex suggested.

"Will do."

"Sorry that you didn't talk. We should have picked a different subject or something," Alex said, feeling somewhat guilty.

"It's fine, really. I think you made Wendell really happy. I doubt he's talked that long to a girl his entire life," Ephram explained.

Alex tried to suppress a laugh then turned serious. "I think he's a cool guy, but if he thinks that I'm interested, could you, um..."

"Oh, yeah, yeah, I'll tell him it's a friend thing," Ephram replied.

"Thanks, it's not him or anything like that. It's just, um, there's no way I'm getting involved with someone right now. Too much stuff I'm dealing with," Alex tried to explain. 

"Sure thing," Ephram replied. He couldn't decide if he was disappointed with the news that Alex was off limits. He was attracted to her, yes, but could not tell if that attraction was more than friendly. But he liked Amy, he knew that much.

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"Amy, are you okay?" Colin asked as they drove home from school that day. 

Amy turned to him and gave him a small smile. "I'm fine, Colin," she said.

"Oh, okay, you just look a little pale," he replied, concerned. But it was the type of concern one would give a stranger who tripped in the street in front of you.

"I guess I just need more sleep," she lied. 

What she needed was Colin back. Colin was alive and she was grateful, but she wanted him back. Her Colin, not this stranger in Colin's body. What if he never came back? What if this was it, this was the best she was going to get? She didn't want this, this was too painful. He didn't remember her, at all. She had to watch Colin make nice-nice with Ephram and then Alex. She could take Ephram, he was a boy, he was also her friend, sort of. But Alex...she was a threat. Amy felt guilty for not liking the girl when she didn't even know her, but Colin was hers. It had taken years for them to realize they cared deeply about each other, and she wasn't going to lose him again, not after fighting through the coma. But wait, this Colin wasn't her Colin. She wanted her Colin. 

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Thank you so much for reading my work, please review if you get the chance!


	3. Meet Kat

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Author's Note: Thank you for all your support. I hope you enjoy the story!! Please review!

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"Today, class, we'll be discussing the draft. As you all should know, President Bush is mobilizing troops to the Middle East in preparation for war with Iraq. In the worse case scenario that the war lasts a long time, the United States would implement the draft. All men eighteen or older would have to apply to the draft and if necessary, be drafted into the military for war. The draft was used in the Civil War, which we just studied a few weeks ago. So, what do you all think?" the history teacher asked. _Mrs. Evans! That was her name! _Colin was happy that he finally remembered what Amy had told him the first day back from school, he was too embarrassed to ask anyone her name.

No one seemed to want to participate in class that day.

"The young men in this room will be eligible for the draft in one or two years, being sixteen and seventeen years old right now, so, what do you all think?"

"I think it's cool, women love men in uniform," Charlie said. The class erupted in laughter, all except Alex. She remained silent and doodled on her notebook.

"Yeah, and I mean, there's a lot of honor. Fighting for your country and all..." a girl added.

"I think the draft is a good idea. If a man lives in the country, he should be willing to fight for it and the causes it believes in," Bright said logically. The class mumbled in agreement. Colin was impressed, Bright seemed rather intelligent.

"Which is what?" Alex asked. The attention turned to her in surprise. She had been in their class for two weeks, but this was the first time she had spoken. Granted she talked with Colin occasionally, but never did she address the whole class.

"What are you talking about?" Bright responded as though Alex was wasting his time.

"What are the causes we are fighting for in the Middle East?"

"Iraq has nuclear weapons, those are bad," Bright responded. His tone of voice was one someone would use to a three year old.

"Actually, that hasn't been proven yet. North Korea, however, admits that they are very close to having nuclear weapons...why aren't we waging war against them?" Alex replied.

Bright didn't answer.

"Does that mean that you don't support the President?" Charlie asked.

"Yes," Alex replied confidently.

"We got a Benedict Arnold, here," Bright said. The class laughed at Alex.

"Just because I don't agree with the President doesn't mean I'm a traitor. Until Bush gives a substantiated explanation as to why we will be going to war with Iraq, I don't agree with war and I don't want a draft to be implemented. People die in a war, gruesome, painful deaths. And I don't think people should be forced to die for a cause that isn't even explained. Think about it Bright, in a year, you could be in uniform, you could be in Iraq. There is no glory in getting yourself blown up because you stepped on a landmine. And what would you have died for? Because Bush _thinks_ there are nuclear weapons there? No, there must be proof," Alex replied passionately. 

The class was silent. Some agreed with Alex, others thought she was too opinionated for her own good. Colin thought she was quite eloquent and snuck a peak in her direction. She resumed her doodling on her notebook, as though she had said nothing at all. 

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"Can you believe what she said in history class today? Unbelievable," Charlie said to his friends during lunch. Bright and Colin were silent. 

"Hey, Amy, I think I know what her nickname should be," Kayla said.

"What?" Amy asked.

"Kat! She's just like Julia Stiles in _10 Things I Hate About You_. Overly opinionated and a heinous bitch," Kayla said happily, priding herself on her creativity.

Colin frowned, he didn't like Kayla either. 

"That's really smart, Kayla," Bright said.

"So, what do you think?" Kayla asked Amy.

"Um, I don't think that's too cool," Amy replied unenthusiastically. She didn't know the girl, but she felt sort of bad that all these people gave her a hard time. She also felt bad that she wasn't too fond of the girl when she didn't even know her.

"I agree," Colin said.

"Then you think of a name for her, Colin," Kayla replied haughtily.

"_Alex_ seems to do her just fine," Colin replied, annoyed.

"Boring..." Kayla said, getting up from the lunch table and heading over to Alex's table. She seemed to be having fun talking to Wendell and Ephram again. She laughed a lot and so did Ephram and Wendell. Colin grew slightly jealous. Amy felt a little miffed as well that another girl had captured Ephram's attention.

"Hey, Kat," Kayla said, stopping at the table.

"Excuse me?" Alex asked. 

"Your name is Kat," Kayla stated.

"No, it's Alex. Do I know you?"

"Bye, Kat," Kayla said, walking away.

Alex turned to Wendell and Ephram. "That was really weird..."

"I guess _Kat_ is your nickname," Wendell commented.

"Huh?"

"Every person has a nickname, it's a stupid tradition the kids in the school made," Ephram explained.

"Once again, people here have too much time on their hands..." Alex said, throwing away her unfinished lunch as the bell rang.

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Why wouldn't her locker open? It opened all other times, it was a good locker. _C'mon..._she thought, trying to make it open. She banged it hard with her fist and tried again. It popped open. "There," she said to herself, satisfied.

"Easy, you don't wanna end up like me, broken appendage and all..." Colin said as he approached her.

She smiled. "So, tell me something, what's up with this Kat business?" The whispers and sneers had subsided over the two weeks, so Colin must have been a man of his word. But this Kat thing was rather irritating. People had been greeting her as "Kat" as she walked down the halls, sharing some inside joke she didn't understand.

"Oh, that..." Colin deadpanned.

"Care to elaborate?" Alex asked.

"Ever seen _Ten Things I Hate About You_?" Colin asked.

Alex thought about the reference for a moment and then smiled. "I get it," she said to him.

"And your happy about this?" Colin asked, confused.

"Well, why not? Kat was the main character, inspired by Shakespeare's _Taming of the Shrew_, right? Julia Stiles was great, intelligent, witty..." Alex said aloud.

"Kayla was going for the over-opinionated heinous bitch reference," Colin explained.

Alex was quiet for a while, her eyes grew sad, then she shrugged. "That's fine," she said casually, as she closed her locker. She saw Ephram approaching them. "Ephram, guess what?" she said, feigning happiness.

"What?" he asked, nodding hello to Colin while he spoke.

"The Kat reference that ditzy girl made in the cafeteria...she was talking about Julia Stiles for Ten Things I Hate About You," Alex explained, rather happily.

Ephram looked at her quizzically. "I don't think that was intended as a compliment, Alex."

"Oh, I know that, and that's fine, but I'll take it as a compliment. Hey, what's your nickname?" she asked Ephram. Colin was intrigued too.

"Oh, Ham," he said.

"Ham? Like in Green Eggs and Ham?" Alex asked.

"No, Hamlet."

"Oh...tortured soul...I like it," Alex commented.

"Yeah, Amy thought it suited me perfectly," Ephram replied. 

"Amy?" Colin asked casually. 

Ephram realized his slip-up too late. "Uh, yeah..."

"I thought you weren't tight with her much," Colin said. He wasn't upset, just confused.

"Oh, uh, I'm not. She was, you know, just being nice to the new kid," he lied.

Colin nodded. "That's cool," he said. "Hey, are you going to study for the English test tomorrow?" he asked Alex.

"Yeah, I was going to go to the library right now," she replied.

"Can I join you? I really need an 'A' on this test, seeing how I've missed majority of this semester already," Colin said.

Alex hesitated but said, "Sure."

"Great, I'll meet you at the library. I'm gonna tell Bright and Amy not to wait for me, I'll catch you later Ephram," Colin said, walking out of the school.

Once Colin was out of earshot, Alex turned to Ephram, "She was just being nice to the new kid?" she repeated incredulously.

Ephram shrugged, he didn't like remembering how Amy was before Colin woke up.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"Bright, Amy, you guys can go on without me. I'm gonna study in the library for the English test tomorrow," Colin said.

"You sure?" Bright asked, surprised.

"Yeah, thanks though. I'll be cool here," Colin said.

"Okay," Bright said skeptically. "But we'll see you for dinner, right?"

"Yeah, totally," Colin replied, looking forward to dinner with the Abbotts.

"Bye, Colin," Amy said.

"Later."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

After an hour and a half of quizzing each other on _The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn_, Colin and Alex grew tired of studying.

"I think you'll do fine on the test tomorrow," Alex said confidently.

"Thanks to you," Colin said. Alex blushed slightly.

The silence that ensued was comfortable, but Colin wanted to know more about her. "So, how do you like it here?" he asked.

Alex shrugged. "I like L.A. more. Too cold, too small, too meddlesome here. What about you? Do you like it here?"

Colin was surprised about the question. No one had ever bothered to ask him how he felt about anything. Except Ephram, they were all busy telling him how he used to be before the accident, trying to rejuvenate his memory to no avail.

"The adults here treat me like a charity case. Some talk slowly as if I'm deaf. I know they mean well, but it's real annoying. The kids try to make me remember stuff I said or did before, but I can't. 'Hey, Colin, remember the time you smooth-talked your way out of detention with Evans?' Well, no, I don't remember," Colin finished bitterly.

Alex wasn't exactly sure how to reply to this, she was surprised that Colin confided in her so much.

Colin immediately felt uncomfortable. "Sorry, I shouldn't have laid that stuff on you, that was really selfish, especially since you have you're own problems to deal with and..." Colin rambled.

"Colin!" Alex said, grabbing his hand and trying to make him shut up. Colin stopped talking. "I, I just don't know how to respond to what you said. I can't say, 'Yeah man, I know just how you feel' cuz I don't know what you're going through. But don't worry about dumping your feelings on me, I'm cool with that," Alex explained, her hand still on his. They both noticed this at the same time and broke apart, blushing. 

Colin was so happy that she didn't get freaked out by his sudden burst of frustration. It felt really good to let it out. 

"Um, what time is it?" Alex asked, looking around for a clock.

"Almost five," Colin answered.

"Shit!" Alex cussed, gathering her stuff quickly into her backpack. "I'm so late! My parents are going to get so pissed if they find out..." she trailed off.

"What? Can I help?" Colin asked, handing her jacket to her, completely confused.

"No, I just gotta run. So sorry for bailing on you like this. I really had fun studying and talking. Um...I'll see you tomorrow," she said as she ran out of the library.

Colin let out a sigh. Alex was a weird one, but in a good way...a really good way. The Abbotts would be picking him up for dinner at his house in two hours. He still needed to shower and get ready. He picked up his backpack and walked out of the library, smiling. 


	4. The BAD Girl Can Cook

****

Author's Note: So I watched yesterday's episode, "Colin Number Two" and I felt so bad for Colin. My God, that boy is having a rough time...it was weird that Ephram was helping him study and in my story Alex was helping him study. Just to declare it right now_, I don't read spoilers for Everwood, so any coinciding info or something like that is pure coincidence. _Okay, thanks for the reviews, they mean SO much to me. Hope you enjoy!

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"Amy, hey," Colin said as he opened the door. She looked beautiful in a sky blue sweater and black pants. "You look really nice," he complimented. He could see how he used to like or love this girl. He had heard she was absolutely amazing, if only he could remember. She always seemed so reserved around him now, as though she didn't know what to say. 

"Thanks, Colin. Bright and my parents are in the car," she said.

"Oh, okay," Colin said. Mrs. Hart can out of the living room just then. "Mom, I'm leaving now," Colin said. 

Mrs. Hart smiled, the two of them together brought back so many happy memories for her. "Have fun," she said. Colin gave her a kiss on the cheek and left. He really liked his mom, she was a nice lady. He desperately wanted to remember more of her too. 

"Hi, Colin," Dr. Abbott greeted from the driver's seat once Colin and Amy were settled in the car. "We figured we'd go to Gino Chang's, it was your favorite restaurant. Maybe it will spark a memory," he added casually.

Once again that suffocating feeling crept into his system. Why did everyday, every outing, every minute have to be an exercise to see if he could remember something? He wondered if the pressure to remember his previous self kept him from remembering. 

Minutes later they were at their table, reading the menu. The place was fairly crowded.

"I'm going to have the orange chicken," Dr. Abbott said, closing his menu.

"You always get that, dear," Mrs. Abbott said. "Don't you want to try something new?"

"Rose, I enjoy the orange chicken. It's flavoring is very constant and delicious."

"Fine dear. I'm getting the linguini with clam sauce. What are you getting, kids?" she asked her children and Colin.

"Spaghetti and meatballs," Bright said.

"Vegetable lasagna," Amy replied.

"Chicken lo mein," Colin said.

The Abbotts looked at him strangely. 

"Did I do something?" Colin asked carefully.

"No, nothing," Mrs. Abbott said, giving him an encouraging smile.

"It's just that you always ordered the sweet and sour pork," Bright explained, disappointed. "It was your favorite."

Colin didn't know how to reply.

"It's okay, order whatever you would like," Dr. Abbott said as the waiter approached them.

Colin looked at Amy, who gave him a small smile though she looked like she was going to cry. Had that been some sort of test that he failed miserably? Were they all hoping he would remember what he always ordered before?

Eventually, the food came. Colin really enjoyed the chicken lo mein. He would try the sweet and sour pork next time. Dr. Abbott's orange chicken came last, and Dr. Abbott looked at it as though it were crawling with maggots.

"This is not orange chicken! Gino! Gino!" Dr. Abbott cried.

"Yes, Dr. Abbott, how can I help you?" Gino asked with an Italian accent.

"What is this? This is not orange chicken," Dr. Abbott stated, annoyed.

Gino frowned. "I'm sorry, our usually chef isn't here today."

"Bring out your chef. I want to speak to him and describe exactly how I want my dinner prepared," Dr. Abbott ordered.

"Of course," Gino replied.

Colin didn't see the big deal. The orange chicken smelled great. 

"Excuse me, Dr. Abbott?" a familiar voice asked, Colin looked up and almost choked on his noodles. 

Alex looked at him and her eyes widened in surprise. She quickly recovered and refocused her attention to Dr. Abbott.

Dr. Abbott looked at the teenage girl. "If you want an appointment, come by my office during the morning. Don't interrupt my family's dinner," he said dismissively. 

"I don't need a doctor. I cooked the orange chicken for you, sir," Alex said as respectively as possible. The man was miserable. She would remember to go to Dr. Brown for all medical needs.

Dr. Abbott looked at her in disbelief, as did Colin and the rest of the Abbotts. "Are you old enough to even drive?" Dr. Abbot asked.

"I don't see the relevance of that, sir," Alex replied anxiously.

"It's just that I'm so surprised Gino would let a teenager cook. There must be safety rules and..."

"Sir, as you can see, it's quite busy here. I'm the only one cooking the Chinese food today. I must get back," Alex said politely but earnestly.

"Yes, well, this is not orange chicken," Dr. Abbott stated arrogantly. 

"Yes, it is," Alex replied.

"No, this is light orange and the batter is all wrong. It's supposed to be a dark red color."

Colin found it rather amusing that Dr. Abbott would be telling an Asian person what was and was not Chinese food.

"Have you tried it?" Alex asked.

"No, you expect me to try this?" Dr. Abbott asked, rather shocked.

"Sir, this is how my mom cooks it. Please try it. If you don't like it, then I will make you that Americanized version of it with that red, caramelized sauce and everything," Alex said quickly.

Dr. Abbott looked at her tentatively. He took his chopsticks and tried a bite of the chicken, chewing slowly. Everyone awaited his verdict.

"This is very good," he said, surprised.

Alex grinned and looked at Colin, who smiled back at her. This wasn't missed by Bright. 

"I'm glad you like it. Will that be all, Dr. Abbott?" Alex asked politely.

"Yes, yes, this is excellent. I apologize. Rose, kids, you must try some of this," he said placing some of all their plates. Colin chuckled lightly as he ate the chicken. It was very good.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The next day Colin walked into history class and saw Alex reading a book. When she wasn't doodling, she was reading. 

"Thanks for the noodles," he said, sitting in his seat. 

Alex smirked. "Anytime, you guys paid for it," she replied, not taking her eyes off the book.

"Was that why you rushed out of the library yesterday?" Colin asked. He wanted to know why she had been cooking his dinner last night, not that he minded at all.

Alex closed the book, realizing that Colin wanted answers, although she wasn't sure she wanted to give them to him. "Yeah. I work at the restaurant from five to eight every weekday. I usually work as the hostess or a waitress or I just prepare the food in the kitchen, but yesterday we had no one cooking the Chinese food. So, I had to do it. And believe me, it's not fun," she said, showing her hands and arms which were spotted with burns and blisters.

"Ouch..." Colin said, making a painful face.

"Yup, hot oil for three hours would do that to ya," she said, smiling.

"So, why do you work there?" Colin asked, but before Alex could answer, the teacher came in demanding silence. Their conversation would have to resume later. 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"Thanks, Bright, Amy," Colin said, getting out of the truck. 

"See you tomorrow, bro," Bright said from the driver's seat. Amy waved.

Colin went into his house, dropped off his bag, and went out again. His parents weren't home from work yet. It was cool and a little damp outside, but the sun was shining, which made him happy. As he walked along the street, he tried to remember something, anything from his past. Occasionally he would get a flash of something, and he'd tell his parents. They would smile encouragingly, hoping that one day they would have all of their son back. But wasn't this Colin their son too? 

Colin knew this was hard on all the people around him. He knew that they wanted him back. He wanted himself back. It had been over a month since his departure from the hospital, and he could remember nothing very substantial from his past so far. Was he a good person? Amy said everyone loved him, but that didn't mean that he loved himself. If he was hanging out with the likes of Charlie and Kayla, he wasn't very sure about the merits of his personal character. But he could change that. He could be somebody now, instead of trying to be someone else he couldn't remember. 

"Hey, there," a voice said, stirring him from his thoughts. 

Colin looked up. It was Alex. She had apparently been walking around the town too. 

"Awfully cold for you to be taking a walk, being from L.A. and all," Colin teased.

"It's not that cold. But did you know that Los Angeles is dealing with a heat spell now? Eighty degree weather in January!" she said enviously. "It's probably forty something here."

Colin smiled. Although he originally wanted to know Alex because she was new, he was thankful that they had become friends. Though he knew barely anything about her past, he felt like he was closer to her than these other people he apparently had known since childhood. With Alex, there were no expectations.

"Can I walk with you?" Alex asked. Colin was surprised, he didn't expect her to be that bold, considering all the talk around school regarding her. Even though Colin tried to stop majority of it, people loved to gossip, especially at the new girl's expense.

"Of course. I was going to ask you that," Colin replied truthfully.

They walked in silence for a while, looking at the modest houses and trees that lined the sidewalk. 

"So, you never answered my question. Why do you work at Gino Chang's place?" Colin asked.

"Oh, right. He's my mom's cousin, I'm living with him and his wife right now. I have to earn my keep by working there," she replied.

She didn't move here with her parents? That was odd. Then again, Colin should have realized this, considering there was no welcome party or committee or anything when she arrived here.

"Where are your parents?" Colin asked carefully. He prayed she didn't say _dead_.

"Back in L.A. They shipped me out here after I got into some trouble," she replied, tensing ever so slightly as she remembered what happened.

"Can I ask what happened?" Colin asked, curious. 

Alex stopped walking and looked at him, studied him. She never really looked at him before, but he was quite handsome. She could understand why he had been so popular, well, why he was so popular. Could she trust him? She might as well try. 

"I got expelled from school," she said. 

"Woow...why?" Colin replied. He didn't understand, Alex was a smart girl and she didn't seem like a person would could spray paint the walls or something like that. 

"I changed my friends' grades in chemistry class. Towards the end of the semester, a lot of them realized that they were failing, so they asked me to change the grades so that they would get D's on the report cards. I was the teacher's TA and had access to the grades. I didn't want to do it, but you know, peer pressure and everything, so I did. It was stupid, and I got caught. I felt so bad cuz the teacher had trusted me. So anyway, I was expelled from the school because that was a serious offense," she explained.

"Geez, that's harsh," Colin commented.

"Oh, it gets better," Alex said sarcastically. "So anyway, my parents were pissed, grounded me forever. I got so upset cuz I knew what I did was wrong and I knew that I should be punished, but I was getting extreme cabin fever being locked up in my room. So, I snuck out, went to party one of my friends was having, and I hooked up with this guy I barely knew. The party was crashed by my friend's parents, who just so happen to be friends with my parents. They told my parents about how I was making out with this guy and now my parents thought that I was sexually active! To top it off, there was booze and pot at the party, though I didn't touch any of it, but they also thought that I was a drunkard and pothead. They were really scared, cuz here was their Ivy-League-bound daughter screwing up her life in a matter of a few weeks. So, they decided that L.A. wasn't good for me and moved me here, purposely here, cuz it was the most remote place they had family," she finished, frustrated, annoyed, and relieved to have gotten all of that off her chest. 

Colin looked at her, unable to believe here was a girl who was labeled at "BAD" when all she had ever been to him and everyone else she met was nice. 

"Damn...that really sucks..." Colin trailed off, unable to say anything else.

"Yeah, it does. So, now you know my story," she said, looking at him. "I think it's your turn to share."

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Please review, thanks so much!!


	5. Ignoring the Tsunami

****

Author's Note: Hmmm.....I'm hitting a writer's block, I think I know where this story is going, but not too sure. So, may take a while for updates, I apologize. Thank you to my faithful readers, you guys are amazing! I hope you enjoy and please review!

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"What should I share?" Colin asked. He had hardly any information to share. 

"Whatever you want to," Alex replied.

He thought about it, wondering if she would get scared away if he told her how he felt. She had yet to run, at least, because of something he had said. 

"At dinner yesterday, I told the Abbotts that I was going to order the chicken lo mein and they looked at me funny. Turns out that my favorite dish there was the sweet and sour pork before the accident. I disappointed them because I couldn't remember. I hated the fact that I disappointed them, but I hated it more that they expected me to remember. I hate the tests. It's as though people don't see me as a person, as I am now. They see me and a stranger in Colin's body who will be leaving soon once I can remember who I was. But what happens if I don't remember? I'm just getting sick of it, all of it," Colin said angrily.

There was silence for a while then Alex asked, "Have you told anyone this? Like Amy or Bright?"

"No, they're trying so hard to be cool, I don't want to make them upset," Colin explained.

"But if they're hurting the situation, they're not doing what they want to do. It's obvious they want to help you, but maybe they're going about it the wrong way," Alex suggested.

Colin shrugged. He knew Alex was right, it was what he had been thinking for so long. But how do you tell the people who have stuck by you when you were unconscious for six months to back off? To relax? How do you tell them that you are a different person, and you might be a different person forever?

"God, it wasn't always this hard," Colin said, frustrated and angry. "Bright was always close minded in a sense, but he wasn't so openly hostile towards people like he is now. I heard from a kid that he sort of got in a fight with Ephram...that's not him. He was critical of other people but he didn't get into fights. And Amy...she was so carefree. She always smiled and her dimples showed, not because she was trying to make me feel better, but because she was truly happy. She had this spark in her eyes that I loved, but now it's like she's just....I dunno. What happened to you, Grover?" Colin asked softly. 

Alex was in complete shock. She grabbed his arm quickly and made him turn towards her. 

"Do you realize what just happened?" she asked him anxiously.

"Huh?"

"You remembered Bright, you remembered Amy. You were just telling me how they used to be and how they are now!" she said excitedly.

Colin blinked several times before realizing what he had done. "You're right! I mean, I don't remember too much, but I remember them from before. Wow! Cool! This is so great!" Colin said happily. 

He hugged Alex with his left arm and she wrapped her arms around his neck. He liked the contact with her, but he would never say that. He was supposed to be with Amy. 

"Thanks," Colin said softly as he held Alex. 

She pulled back to look at his eyes, but still kept her arms around him. "What for?" she asked him. _God, his eyes are nice_, she thought.

He let go of her and she did the same. "Just for listening, I mean, I don't think I could have remembered stuff when I was with Bright and Amy. There's pressure there. There's no pressure when I'm with you," he replied honestly.

She smiled. 

"We're about fifteen minutes away from Bright and Amy's house, I want to tell them about what I remembered," Colin said excitedly. 

"Oh, that's a good idea," she said, as they resumed their walk.

The walk to the Abbott's house was lighter, happier. Alex told him what life in Los Angeles was like, which broke all those stereotypes people in small towns have. When they reached the door, Colin knocked and Bright answered. Alex stood back on the porch area.

"Colin, hey, what's up?" Bright greeted.

"I remember some stuff about you and Amy," Colin said proudly.

Bright's eyes lit up. "Really? What?" he asked excitedly.

"Can we come in?" Colin asked.

"We?"

"Alex is with me," Colin explained. Bright's eyes grew dark as he looked over at Alex.

"You know what? I have to go, um, it's almost time for work," Alex said, uncomfortably walking down the steps. 

"It's only 4:15," Colin said. 

"Oh, well...you know, girls take a long time to get ready and everything. So, yeah, uh, bye," she rambled. 

Colin looked at her strangely, but she wouldn't look at his eyes. "Thanks, again," he said.

She nodded before walking away. 

Colin stepped inside the Abbott's home, and Bright closed the door.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

_I am not a man-stealer, I am not a man-stealer, I am not a man-stealer, _Alex chanted to herself as she walked towards _Gino's_. She tried vainly to convince herself that she did not want Colin. But there was something there, between them, that she only realized when Bright saw her. His eyes were so angry...she was a threat. She understood this now. She didn't mean to fall for Colin, really, she wasn't a bad person. She never wanted this, she just wanted to finish high school, go to college very far away and live happily ever after. Why couldn't she like Wendell? It would have been so much easier that way. She sighed in frustration. 

She wasn't ready for all the drama in this small town. She wanted to go back to her life in L.A., which, ironically, was much simpler than life in Everwood. She missed her friends, her house, her own bed. She missed her parents. She could still remember the look on their faces when they told her she was moving to Everwood. It was one of complete disappointment and loss - they had given up on her. They probably viewed themselves as failures. But they weren't. They were good parents, she was the bad daughter. She hadn't cried when she got expelled or when she had been punished by her parents or when they told her to pack, but she felt like crying now. She kept on brushing everything aside before, but it was catching up to her now, like a huge tsunami that was about to hit land. And she could no longer ignore how she felt about all of it - her mistakes, her isolation, Colin. She had gotten herself in a big mess.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"You were almost late, again, Alex," Gino said without the Italian accent as she hurried into the restaurant. 

"I'm sorry, Gino, I took a walk and lost track of time," Alex replied, removing her jacket and going behind the counter to where her cousin was. 

Gino shook his head. "I didn't tell your parents about the first time you were late, but if it happens again, I will. I don't want you slacking off around here, you have the weekends to do that," he said warningly.

"Thanks for not telling them. They would have had a fit. I won't be late again," she assured him.

Gino smiled, Alex was a good kid who got caught up in a very, very bad situation. He wouldn't have told her parents if she was late again anyways, he just said that to maintain his "guardian" role over her.

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	6. Ephram reveals, Ephram walks away

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Author's Note: Thank you to all my readers and reviewers. You guys rock! I live off the reviews. Okay, so, to address some concerns: the Amy/Colin interaction will come in the next chapter, I promise, I've already written it. This chapter is Ephram-centric simply because I thought it would be good to see how he interacts with the girls in his life and how he's feeling since I love his character. Okay, please reviews, they mean the world to me. Thanks and I hope you enjoy!

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The music blared, just like Ephram liked it. It helped him forget all his troubles. His mom, his dad, Amy, Colin, all of it dissolved in the music. The phone rang. _Weird, who'd call at eight o'clock on a Saturday night? _he thought. 

"Hello?" he answered.

"Ephram?"

"Yeah?"

"It's Alex."

"Oh, hey! What's up?" Ephram asked happily.

"Nothing much, which is why I'm calling."

"Oh?"

"Yeah, I don't work on the weekends and I'm so bored. I was wondering if you wanted to watch Lord of the Rings," she explained. She had told Ephram earlier about why she was in Everwood and her living arrangements. Ephram had been just as surprised as Colin was. 

"That sounds great," Ephram said. 

"Cool, I'll be over in a bit," she said.

"Alright, see ya soon."

"Bye."

Ephram hung up the phone, at least his Saturday night wouldn't be spent alone. He hung out in his room for a while then went downstairs.

Andy Brown was in the kitchen when Ephram appeared, smiling.

"Someone looks happy," Andy teased.

Ephram smirked. "Alex is coming over, we're watching Lord of the Rings," Ephram explained.

"Alex? The new girl?" Andy asked.

"Yeah, she's really cool."

"Good, I'm glad," his father replied, a weird smile on his face.

"What?" Ephram asked, slightly annoyed.

"Nothing," Andy said, still smiling.

"No, Dad, you don't just smile like that for no reason," Ephram said impatiently. 

"I'm just glad that you're getting over Amy, that's all," Andy explained.

Ephram frowned. "I'm not getting over Amy, Alex is just a friend. Amy...Amy's hard to get over," Ephram said quietly.

Andy nodded understandingly. "Delia's over at Nina's house and I'll get out of your way after I meet Alex," Andy said, getting up. 

"Dad, you don't have to go. This isn't a date or..." Ephram started, but the doorbell rang. Ephram went and answered it.

"Hey," Alex said, smiling.

"Hi, come in," Ephram said. It had been the first time Alex was in the Brown's home, though she passed it often on her walks. 

"Cool home," Alex complimented.

"Why thank you," Andy said, walking into the living room, smiling. "I'm Andy Brown, Ephram's dad. Nice to meet you, Alex," he said, extending his hand.

"Nice to meet you too, Dr. Brown," Alex said taking his hand. She had heard about Dr. Brown's world renowned hands and though impressed, Ephram always shed realism to his father's persona with numerous stories of burnt meatloaf.

"Please, call me Andy," Andy replied.

"Okay," she said.

"You kids have fun, there are snacks in the kitchen," Andy said as he grabbed his coat. 

"You're not staying with us?" Alex asked.

"No, no," Andy said.

"Okay, it's a three and a half hour film though. Please don't feel obliged to stay out that long," Alex said politely.

Andy smiled. "I'll be back later," he said. "You guys be good, just don't destroy the furniture."

Ephram blushed with embarrassment. 

"Sure thing," Alex replied. With that, Andy was gone.

Alex turned to Ephram. "Your dad's cool," she said.

Emphram laughed. "Um, if you say so," he said skeptically. They made their way into the kitchen for snacks.

"Seriously, he's not uptight like mine," she said. 

"Okay, let's not talk about fathers, please. New subject: popcorn or chips?" Ephram asked.

Alex thought about it and replied, "Popcorn."

"Excellent choice." Ephram took out the popcorn bag and placed it in the microwave. Once the popcorn was ready, they made their way into the living room and watched the movie. 

About two and a half hours later, Andy returned home.

"Hey, kids, still watching?"

"Shh, Dad, troll fight scene," Ephram said. 

Alex was so transfixed on the TV that she didn't even realize Andy was back. 

"Uh, okay, I'll be at Nina's," Andy said, confused.

"Yeah, okay," Ephram replied mechanically.

When the movie was over, Ephram and Alex smiled at each other. 

"Cool, huh?" she asked.

"Very cool," he replied. "The story line is confusing at times, but it's still a nice movie. Awesome special effects," Ephram added. 

"Did your Dad come back?"

"Yeah, I think he went to Nina's house, our neighbor, to pick up Delia. He's probably upstairs putting her to bed," Ephram replied, rubbing his eyes.

"Oh, okay," Alex replied, slightly uncomfortable with being alone with Ephram in a room without any distractions like TV.

He watched her fidget. "You okay?"

"Fine, but I should go. It's getting late," she said as she got up.

"I'll walk you home," Ephram offered.

"We're in Everwood, I won't get abducted or anything," she joked.

"I know, but still," he insisted. 

As they walked, Alex said, "Thanks for hanging with me, I just didn't feel like being alone today." She didn't want to tell him that when she had nothing to do she just thought about her past, which made her terribly unhappy.

Ephram shrugged. "I had nothing to do, I was glad you called. As you can see, I'm a loser who doesn't go to the parties the popular kids are having on Saturday nights. I did that once, and got into trouble," he explained.

"You're not a loser, Ephram. Far from one," Alex replied. "But yeah, from personal experience, I don't think I'm going to a party like that ever again."

Ephram understood and nodded in agreement. 

"Why didn't you explain to your parents that you didn't drink or smoke at that party? I'm sure it would have helped."

Alex shook her head. "It's not like I didn't try. But they just saw me as a failure and it was easier that way. I mean, it was shameful, getting expelled and everything. And I just added a whole mess of fuel to the fire with that party stuff," she replied sadly. 

"You're not a failure," he stated firmly.

"In a sense, I am," she replied. "Getting expelled killed almost any chance I had of getting into a elite college, which is what I was aiming for my entire school career. I disappointed my family and I disappointed myself," she added bitterly.

"College doesn't equate to fulfillment in life, you know. You're a good person, that should mean something," Ephram told her.

Alex made a small smile. "Thanks Ephram, but can we talk about something else?" she asked. The whole topic made her remember, and she didn't want to do that.

"Oh, uh, ok. So, I noticed that you're pretty popular with the guys," Ephram commented jokingly.

"What?" she asked, confused.

"Well, you have lots of guys hanging around you, but not too many girls," Ephram said.

"Yeah, the girls don't really like me. They never got over that 'the new girl is trying to seduce Colin' thing and then the 'Kat' nickname didn't help much," Alex explained.

"I almost forgot about that Colin thing. That was like a month ago, right? It's gotta be rough..."

"In a sense, yeah. I can't talk about girlie things to anyone," Alex said.

"What do girls talk about when they're alone, anyways?" Ephram asked, intrigued.

"Depends. Mostly boys. And then there's that whole 'man, I have such bad cramps'...." 

"Okay, okay, I get it," Ephram said uncomfortably.

Alex laughed, "You asked."

"I'm just not cut out to be a girl friend, what can I say?"

Alex laughed more at the ridiculousness of the statement. "I should hope not. You make a great boy-space-friend."

"Boy-space-friend? That's an interesting phrase."

"Yeah, you...Wendell...make great boy-space-friends," Alex said.

"And Colin?" Ephram asked innocently.

"This is the house," Alex said, looking up at a modest sized gray house with a bench on the porch in the front. She walked up the steps and sat down on the bench. Ephram followed. 

"Alex? You didn't answer my question," Ephram said, sensing Alex's uneasiness.

"I...I think I'm falling for Colin," she admitted.

"Woow, um, that, that can create problems," Ephram rambled.

"No kidding. I didn't mean to. I don't think I should hang out with him anymore," Alex said.

"He likes you, you know. If as a friend or something more..."

"Don't Ephram," Alex pled, cutting him off. "He has Amy. Amy has been waiting for months to get Colin back and Colin's remembering her."

"I know."

"How?"

"Colin told me a couple days ago. He said he was talking to you and started remembering things about Amy and Bright," Ephram said.

"You should have seen his face, Ephram. He was so happy...I'm not going to mess with that," she stated.

"You're scared he's starting to like you," Ephram replied, more of a statement than a question.

"I don't know how he feels, but I know if I get closer, I won't want to walk away. And I have to. I mean, those two have known each other forever. It's like they're destined to be together," Alex said, frustrated. 

Ephram got off the bench and paced back and forth, anxious. He wanted to tell Alex everything, fill her in on how he thought destiny had nothing to do with Amy and Colin, and how he had crept into Amy's heart, only to be slammed out once Colin woke up.

"You know I like Amy, right?" Ephram finally asked. 

Alex was surprised, Ephram always skirted around the issue of Amy when she had brought it up. "Um, I've suspected, yes," she said cautiously, not knowing where this whole confession was leading to.

"And if I tell you this, you must promise not to tell anyone, ever."

"I promise," Alex said, looking at him curiously while he paced.

"I kissed her. And she kissed me. Then Colin woke up and it's like none of it ever happened. I'm pissed, she's probably trying to forget me, and Colin is befriending me and you. I want to hate the guy cause Amy's says she's so in love with him, but I don't because this Colin isn't the same Colin from before. And I like the guy. So, if you think this all destiny, well, I just think there's something more to it than that," Ephram explained. 

Alex processed all she had heard for a what seemed like minutes. "Colin, he doesn't know," Alex commented.

"Nope, Amy said she didn't want him to know. I told her that if he asked me straight out, I wouldn't lie to him, but I wouldn't volunteer the information. So Amy's been pretty conscientious in making sure she doesn't talk to me too much so Colin doesn't suspect anything and ask me," Ephram said sadly.

"I see..." Alex said quietly, pulling her knees up against her chest. "You know...every time I see him now, I'll be deceiving him cause I know something he should know but doesn't."

Ephram stopped pacing. "I'm so sorry, I didn't realized, that was selfish," he said, angry at himself for bringing Alex into a situation she never asked to be in.

"No, don't be, it's the perfect excuse to walk away from him."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"Ephram, can I talk to you?" Amy asked, approaching Ephram, Alex and Wendell in the halls after classes the following Wednesday.

"Uh, yeah, okay," Ephram said unemotionally as he gave a backwards glance to Alex and Wendell. Alex smiled encouragingly while Wendell lifted his eyebrows up and down as seductively as he could.

"What is it?" he asked her once they were out of hearing range.

"How have you been?" she asked him.

"What? You barely talk to me since Colin woke up and now you're interested again?" Ephram asked, annoyed.

Amy didn't know what to say, she understood perfectly why Ephram was acting that way. 

"Look, Ephram, I'm sorry. I know I let our friendship go when Colin came back but you have to understand, he needs me," she insisted.

"Yeah, whatever, and the rest of us don't. What do you want, Amy?" Ephram asked, hurt and frustrated.

She hesitated. "Colin does need me, right?" she asked him finally.

"What? Of course he does. Why would you ask something like that?"

She looked down, slightly embarrassed. "Alex."

"Alex is his friend yeah, but you're his girlfriend," Ephram replied, noting the distaste when he said _girlfriend._

"But you see, I'm not," Amy replied. Ephram looked at her strangely. The whole reason why they were no longer talking was because she was his girlfriend.

The silence made Amy continue. "He's not the same Colin as before. He's remembering a lot actually, but he's still not the same person."

"Well, yeah, Amy, I mean these things take time. My dad told everyone this. But that doesn't mean he won't get back to his old self and that doesn't mean you're not his girlfriend," Ephram said. He wondered why he was insisting so much that Amy was Colin's boyfriend when all he wanted was for Amy to be single.

"I just don't know him anymore, Ephram," Amy replied, lost.

"Have you even tried?" Ephram asked, getting more annoyed. 

He was the wrong person to talk to about this stuff and he no longer wanted to be her shrink or confidant. He wanted to be her boyfriend and since he knew he couldn't, he did really want to talk to her anymore. 

"What?" Amy asked, confused.

"Have you even bothered trying to know Colin for who he is today? I mean, as if he were a new person, like I was? You're good at making conversation," Ephram explained.

"It's hard, Ephram, I know him, I loved him..." Amy trailed off.

The last words stung Ephram more than he could have imagined. "Look, just because something is hard doesn't mean it's impossible. Don't you see that's what he's reaching out for - someone to talk with instead of lecturing him about his past and putting pressure on him."

Amy thought about it, she never realized that her trying to rejuvenate his memory might actually be hurting him.

"Don't you see it, Amy? Why did he befriend me? Why did he reach out to Alex? When you and Bright have been with him almost 24/7 since he woke up, why did he remember the beginnings of his past with Alex who he knew for only a few weeks? Think about it," Ephram ranted as he walked away. 


	7. Colin Number Two

****

Author's Note: So I was watching Everwood a couple nights ago, you know, "Snow Job," and well, all I hafta say is **_DAMN!! _**I say that for three reasons, first Ephram is way too nice for his own good, telling Colin all that Grover stuff to make Amy happy when Amy has been near hostile to him. Personally, I wouldn't mind if he gets with Laynie. **Second, what happened to that scene where Ephram is skating with Laynie and Colin says "You can't keep you eyes off him (Ephram) all night" to Amy? **Did I miss it or was it just not in the show? Cuz the trailer had that scene and I was waiting for it. Lastly, a lot of the stuff resembles my story, like the whole "Colin Number One is dead" theme that Colin talked with Amy about. **I would just like to say that I had written this chapter on Saturday, so all similarities to the show are simply ESP driven**. Okay, that's it, please review and feel free to share your thoughts on the episode, I'm really interested to see what you all have to think!!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Alex mused about what Amy and Ephram could have been talking about. Most likely something about Colin, it was always about Colin.

"Alex," a voice greeted. 

_Speak of the devil_, Alex thought. "Hey, Colin," she replied shortly. She had successfully avoided long conversations with him for almost four days.

"How have you been? Haven't talked much lately," Colin asked, walking with her out of the school. She acted a little funny around him now and he couldn't understand why.

"Fine," she replied. She didn't bother asking him how he had been.

"What's wrong?" Colin asked.

"Nothing," she answered.

"Look, did I do something?" Colin asked, concerned. Alex was acting really cold towards him.

She stopped walking. _Why did he think that? _she thought. "Colin, I really think..." she didn't want to say it, especially since she knew Amy and Ephram had been a thing. But by completely avoiding Ephram, Amy had made it quite clear that she was devoted Colin now.

"Think what?"

"I think you should spend time with Amy, Colin," Alex answered a little harsher than she had intended to.

"What? I do spend time with her." He had no clue what Alex was talking about.

"She's your girlfriend, and I'm not..." Alex began.

"But you're my friend," Colin insisted, scared now of where Alex was going with this conversation.

"Why is that, Colin? I'm your friend because I'm new. And I mean, I thank you for being so nice to me in the beginning, but I'm not new anymore," she tried to explain. She wanted to tell him what she knew about Ephram and Amy, but she had promised not to. 

"I don't understand," Colin admitted. 

"Go talk to Amy, try to remember your past, try to remember why you cared so much about her," Alex said dismissively, walking away.

Colin wasn't going to give up that easily. He followed her. "I don't know where this sudden need to walk away from our friendship came from, but I do know one thing," he said firmly.

Alex stopped and looked at him. "And what's that, Colin?"

"I'm happiest when I'm with you," Colin confessed. Alex looked away from him, he wasn't making this easier for her.

"It's not supposed to be that way," Alex said quietly. 

"But doesn't that say something?" Colin asked earnestly, alluding to something more in their relationship. 

She knew what he meant and needed to squash this now, for his own good. "Yes, it says that I've interfered way to much in your life," she replied, not believing her own words. If she had it her way, she would have kissed him after his confession. 

"You of all people should know that's not true. Everyone else expects me to remember them and I can't. I'm freer when I with you," Colin replied, annoyed that Alex seemed so intent on pushing him away. "You've helped me."

"I can't help you anymore," she said sadly, still unable to look at him. "I have to go, please don't follow me," she added, finally walking away. She didn't want him to see her cry.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Colin still could not understand what he did to push Alex away. Just when he really felt comfortable with her, she slammed the proverbial door in his face, which hurt. He watched her walk away, turn the corner and head out of sight. He turned around and walked towards the truck where he would meet Bright and Amy. 

Amy. All he felt was confusion towards the girl. She seemed nice, slightly uptight and overly conscientious at times, but nice. But that was all he knew about her. He never bothered to ask her about herself and she never bother to volunteer the information, always too busy trying to get him to remember something from his past. He understood what Alex was saying now. He didn't know anything about his supposed girlfriend, yet, did he even care? As harsh as it sounded, Colin wasn't sure if Amy was right for him; she had been right for the other Colin, Colin Number One. That Colin was gone. 

Could Colin Number Two ever become Colin Number One? Did he even want to be? He liked the way he was now, minus the lack of memory, and really didn't want to change that. What happened if he had been a total jackass before and people were just too blind, stupid, or unwilling to see it? 

"Colin, you okay man?" Bright asked.

"Huh?" He did even realize he had walked past the truck.

"Truck, good. Walking, bad," Bright replied, imitating a caveman as he patted the truck. Since Colin had begun remembering him, Bright had become more carefree and friendly. 

Colin laughed. "Yeah, right, sorry about that," he said as he got into the car next to Amy. He did need to talk to her. "Hey, Amy, I was wondering if you wanted to walk with me when we get to my house. You know, just around the blocks," he said. 

"Oh, sure," Amy said. Colin had never asked her to spend any time with him, she was always the one bringing it up. 

Amy idly wondered if Ephram played some part in this change in Colin, but she doubted it. She frowned. When she thought of Ephram, she became confused. Ephram was new and exciting yet he was safe. That weird tingly but secure feeling came over her when they kissed. She thought she was only supposed to get that type of feeling with Colin, which scared her. She loved Colin, she didn't love Ephram...right? She wasn't supposed to love two people at the same time, she couldn't. 

When they reached Colin's house, she got out, said 'goodbye' to her brother and walked with Colin.

"I like walking, it helps me think. I don't have to worry about anyone else but myself," Colin explained as they walked.

"It is relaxing," Amy said, trying to make small talk.

"Um, what, what do you do to relax?" Colin asked tentatively. He needed to know who this girl was.

She was caught off guard, Colin never asked about her. It hurt a bit that he couldn't remember what her hobbies were, but she had to remind herself that at least he did remember her. "Well, I like to dance," she replied. "It's a form of escape. I just become involved in the music and movements and I forget." 

"Forget what?"

"Everything. All the bad stuff. When you were in the coma, dancing gave me an outlet," she said mysteriously.

He had never asked her how she felt when he had been unconscious. 

"How were you when I was in the coma?" he asked carefully. 

"What?" she asked, shocked. She didn't want to tell him about what happened to her when he wasn't there, when she thought he was going to die. Her breakdown at her dance recital was something she would rather not relive.

Colin stopped walking, looking at her worried face. She looked terribly vulnerable at that moment. 

"I, I just worry. I mean, since I've woken up, I know you've been trying really hard to make it easy for me, but it seems like you're holding back on something. We used to tell each other everything. Like that time during the ski trip where I just let everything out, all the feelings I had for you, and you told me that you felt the same way. I felt so happy then but now, it's like there's this brick wall in between us. And I don't blame you or anything because I have no idea what you must have felt during that six month time, but...maybe if we both stop trying so hard to force my memory, maybe it'll come back on it's own," Colin explained. He hadn't expected to release all his pent up frustration ten minutes into the first walk he had had with Amy since the coma. He didn't want to scare her. 

Amy looked away, processing all he had said. She looked straight into his eyes and smiled, her first genuine smile since he had woken up. 

Colin looked at her, flashes of the Amy he remembered matched the Amy he was looking at now. Her eyes sparkled just like they had before. He smiled too. 

She hugged him then, feeling that part of her Colin was finally coming back. "I can't believe you remembered that," Amy whispered as she held onto him. 

He couldn't believe he remembered it either. He was always so cocky and confident around girls, even Amy, but he remembered being terrified that she would reject him, and he would lose her as a friend as well. He was so relieved she wanted to be his girlfriend. It wasn't like there was a short supply of girls who wanted him, but he had wanted only her. 

She cupped his face with her hands, still smiling. "Hi," she said shyly, feeling that this Colin she was looking at was different from the Colin of twenty minutes ago. 

He chuckled lightly. "Hi."

She brought his head gently down to hers and kissed him. It was a bit awkward and he didn't respond at first, but it felt nice. He returned the kiss gently and held her with his left arm. It didn't feel the way it had before, mostly because Colin was a little tentative, but Amy would have taken just about anything at the moment. After they separated, Colin blushed slightly; that was his first kiss with a girl. She looked at him quizzically, she was usually the one to blush. 

"Did I, um do something wrong?" Colin asked.

"No, no, nothing," she replied and they continued walking and talking. 

She never did answer the question about how she managed while he was in the coma...she didn't want to tell him about Ephram.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~


	8. So, Colin Hart, who are you?

****

Author's Note: Thank you to **lilblondienc** and **lyn** for your support and for explaining what happened to the missing Everwood scene I was talking about last chapter. Thanks to **kellie**, **xo bella italiana ox **and especially **Wadesbabygirl21 **for the support. I totally appreciate it!!Okay, on with the show!!

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"So I couldn't believe he said we should see other people. He said something about not communicating and I'm thinking, 'Hello! We both speak English!'" Kayla ranted as she and Amy walked down the hall of County High. 

Kayla had been so absorbed in her own dramatic break-up that she didn't notice Amy's glow. It had been two days since the kiss, and there had been more since then. Amy had yet to tell Kayla and probably wouldn't, she didn't want to spoil it. Colin seemed pleased that he remembered more about her, and Amy knew it was just a little while longer until this new Colin was replaced with the old one. She smiled as she thought about the prospect of having her Colin back.

"Amy? Are you listening to me?" Kayla asked, annoyed. 

"Oh, sorry."

"It's okay. So, anyway..." Kayla started, only to be interrupted by a collision in the hall. 

Alex hadn't been watching where she was going and had bumped into Kayla, not hard, but hard enough to break Kayla's train of thought. 

"Hey, watch it, _Kat_!" Kayla yelled at Alex.

Alex smirked at Kayla and eyed Amy next to her. She didn't say anything as she walked away. 

"Kayla, I'll catch up with you later," Amy said as she walked towards Alex. She felt the need to talk to Alex after what Ephram and said to her before. "Alex!" she called out.

Alex stopped, turned around and waited for Amy to catch up to her. She was intrigued, what could Amy possible want from her, now? She had Colin. 

"Look, I know we haven't talked much, but I just wanted to say thanks for, you know, helping Colin out," Amy said.

"I never felt like I was helping him, just being his friend. Helping implies I wanted to save the guy or something, which wasn't the case," Alex answered. 

She remembered how Colin had told her she had helped him...she never thought she had. 'Helping' out her friends back in L.A. got her expelled. 

"Oh, well, I just really appreciate it. It's been really hard on Bright and me and I guess we weren't helping him like we thought we were by trying to get him to remember things," Amy said.

"But that's the thing, Colin doesn't need help," Alex stated.

"Of course he does. He needs to remember who he is, and when he does, he'll be Colin again and I just wanted to thank you for initiating it all," Amy insisted.

"You know, Colin is a person as he stands now," Alex said, getting annoyed. She really didn't want to talk to Amy anymore.

"I know, but it's just that he's not _Colin_," Amy said.

"Yes he is. That's where all you people are so wrong. He's Colin. He's a complete person. Has a heart, has a soul, all that stuff, but everyone here treats him like a freak because he has no memory and that, for lack of a better word, is bullshit. He doesn't need help, Amy, he needs friends. People to hear him out, to actually listen to him because what he says matters instead of humoring him and waiting for the _real_ Colin to come back. Let him do the talking, Amy, let him find his own way, and _your_ Colin just might return to you," Alex explained passionately. 

Amy processed what Alex had said. Part of her was offended that Alex had the nerve to give her advice about how to act around her boyfriend, but part of her knew what Alex had said was priceless. Alex had willingly volunteered the "secret" to her successful conversations with Colin and Amy appreciated that.

"Is there anything else you need?" Alex asked. "I have to go to work."

"Oh, um, no, no, thanks for your time. I really do appreciate it," Amy said sincerely. Alex nodded her head and left.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

It's better this way, Alex thought to herself as she shot another basket, missing. Colin needed Amy, Amy needed Colin, Alex needed...to get over it. She dribbled around the court a bit before going in for a lay-up. At least she made the lay-up.

The advantage about living in a tiny town was that the high school basketball games were a big deal and she didn't have to work at _Gino's_ so long as she was at the game. The Miners were actually a pretty good team, and Bright was a very good player. She could only imagine how wonderful it must have been to watch Colin play. Amy was on some dance team thing, and Ephram had a hard time keeping his eyes off her when she performed; Alex had tried her hardest not to tease him about it during the game. 

It had been a very hard three weeks since she stopped interactions with Colin. She kept herself busy with school, work, and walking. It didn't make her happy, but that wasn't the point. 

Amy hadn't talked to her since then and she could have cared less. It wasn't that she didn't like the girl, because, quite frankly, she didn't know her, but she wanted to vomit every time she say Colin and her together.

Ephram had been pretty supportive. He and Alex had some weird bond being the "other boy" and "other girl" in the lives of the most popular couple in school. _Yup, couple_, she thought enviously as she shot another basket. It was a brick. 

She should have been happy considering she was the one who walked away so he'd forget about her and get to know Amy again. But, she was miserable every time she saw them together and she brought it on herself. Colin had remembered a lot about Amy and Bright and his parents, much to everyone's happiness. _It's better this way_, she repeated to herself.

She visualized an opponent in front of her, did a clean crossover, made a quick release, and the ball sank. _Ah...I still got the magic touch..._she thought to herself. She hadn't played in what felt like ages, though it was actually just two months - since she left L.A.

"Nice shot," a voice said behind her. 

She freaked momentarily, having thought she was alone in the gym. She turned around to see Colin.

"Um, thanks," she said nervously. 

"You have a nice follow-through," Colin commented.

She looked at him as she dribbled. "What are you doing here?"

He shrugged. "Just didn't feel like going home. I remember playing last year, and I guess I just wanted to hang around and see if I would remember anything else."

"Oh, I see," she said, looking down. 

"Yeah, um, how, how have you been?" he asked her. It seemed like ages since they talked instead of three weeks.

"Oh, alright. You know, school and work..." she trailed off. "You?"

"Oh, just trying to find myself, you know..." he jested. 

Alex laughed. "I think we all need to do that," she replied. She looked up at him. His right arm was no longer in the sling. 

"So, I guess you can write again, huh?" she asked as she pointed to his arm.

He looked down. "Oh, yeah, I got if off yesterday," he explained. "But it feels sorta weird, I always wanna have it bent. But it turns out that my left hand writing is better than my right hand. My right hand is out of practice, I guess," he rambled.

"You _are_ ambidextrous then," Alex replied impressed, remembering their first conversation.

Colin smiled, remembering her kindness the first day she came to Everwood. "Yeah, yeah, I guess I am," he said. "Thanks to you," he added shyly.

Alex swore she was blushing but prayed the dim lights didn't show it. She shook her head, "No, you did it on your own. I'm, I'm happy for you," she said unemotionally.

"Don't sound very happy," Colin said quietly. 

He hadn't expected talking to Alex would be so difficult to do considering she was the easiest person to talk to before. For the past three weeks, he thought about her often, but never conversed with her more than a simple 'hello.' He would see her walking down the hall as he walked with Amy, and it would hurt to see her eyes look away from him. 

He remembered enough of Amy to know why she was his girlfriend, and he figured the rest, like the sparks and stomach butterflies, would come when he remembered all of her. The kisses were nice, soft, but not...passionate. _But that would come in time, _he thought, trying to convince himself. 

"No, really, I...I am really happy for you," Alex said. 

Colin chuckled lightly. "This is weird now," he confessed, motioning to the two of them talking.

"Yeah, it is," she replied quietly, dribbling some more.

"So, you play often?" Colin asked, trying to find a subject they could talk about and not feel so uncomfortable.

"Oh, I used to be on the basketball team in my freshman and sophomore year," she replied. She had no idea why she was talking to him. She tried to move her feet to walk away, but they didn't want to move. 

"Were you any good?" he teased. He saw her play, he already knew the answer.

"I'm sure I could take you on," she replied.

"Well, yeah, anyone could beat the guy who got out of a six month coma a little over two months ago," he teased. 

She laughed. "Whatever," she replied, turning around to take a shot. 

Colin trotted to the basket to get the rebound. He dribbled with his left hand and crossed over to his right, testing to see how well his right arm was working. 

She watched him attentively. "Not bad," she said. 

He looked up at her. "Could always be better," he replied as he took a short-range shot. It missed.

"Patience, Young Grasshopper," she said. "It'll all come back, just like your memory," she added encouragingly.

"What if it doesn't?" he asked her.

"What if what doesn't?" Alex asked.

"What if my memory doesn't all come back. Sometimes I wonder how I was before. Was I a nice person? I just can't remember," he confided. 

Alex looked away. Colin had successfully gotten her into a meaningful conversation after three weeks of purposely avoiding him. Part of her didn't mind at all but rather, was grateful that they were talking again. 

"Does it matter?" she asked him.

"What?"

"How you were before. Does it really matter? People seemed to adore you, so I doubt you were a bad person. But I mean, what can you do about it now? Can't erase the past."

"I know, but I just wanna know who I am!" Colin said angrily as he threw the basketball against the wall. It rebounded back to him with a loud **_THUD_**. "I'm sorry," he said. "I shouldn't have done that."

Alex shrugged. "It's fine, I don't mind. I did that a lot too before. So, Colin Hart, who are you?" she asked him.

He looked at her quizzically. "I told you, I don't know," he said, slightly bitter.

"Sure you do," Alex said encouragingly. She was cursing herself for still talking to him, but it was just so much easier and nicer and happier to do so. 

"Alex, um, is this your idea of a sick joke?" Colin asked.

"No. But think about it. Who are you?"

Colin decided to play along, he trusted her anyways. "I'm Colin Hart. I'm sixteen. My parents are..." he started.

"No, no, no, your age and the name of your parents don't make who _you_ are," she said, shaking her head.

He looked at her strangely, hoping for an explanation. 

"Okay, here. I'm Alex Nasagawa. I stand up for what I believe in even if it means I have to do it alone. Everything I do, I do with other people's best interests at heart. I love basketball because it relaxes me; I get in a zone and I forget about my crappy life. Someday, I want to become a history teacher because I think history is the key to the future even if I don't get paid much. Eventually, I want to find the love of my life and if we're lucky, we'll have one of those stereotypical houses with a white picket fence and energetic dogs running around," she ended. 

Colin was silent. 

"You try," she said.

"I'm Colin Hart. I think that I no longer fit with the people who used to be my friends. I like talking walks...this is stupid, Alex," he said, embarrassed.

"You try," she repeated.

He sighed and continued. "I like talking walks because I can imagine that I'm somewhere else. Like at a Laker game or at Rockefeller Plaza, anywhere else but here. I like Chemistry because it's cool seeing how different chemicals react with one another and how these very basic things can create amazingly complex compounds. I don't like shallow people and I've found that a lot of the people here are just that. I hope that I'm not one of them in disguise. I want to get away from here for college, go to either the East Coast or the West Coast, but I can't stay here. I think I'd suffocate," he ended. "I told you it was stupid," he mumbled.

"That was nice," Alex said softly. 

"And the point was?"

"The point was that your past isn't the only thing that identifies you. Your likes, dislikes, beliefs, dreams, hopes...as corny as it may sound, those things make up who you are too," Alex explained.

Colin thought about it, smiling slightly. "Yeah, I guess," he admitted. He felt much better now. "Wanna play HORSE?" he asked her. 

She hesitated. "I don't think that's a good idea," she said as she began to walk away, for the second time.

"God, why do you always do that?" he asked, annoyed. 

She stopped and turned around. His eyes were serious and drew her out to ask, "Do what?"

"Leave. You left me that day, you avoid me at school, you walk away from this conversation...I just don't get it. What happened?" he asked her bluntly.

Alex didn't expect him to be so straightforward, that was usually her specialty. "It'll get too complicated if I stay," she replied softly, she didn't want to tell him the detailed version. She had already stayed too long.

"I don't understand. What will get too complicated?"

"This," she replied frustrated, motioning between the two of them. "If I stay, I will not want to go, ever. Do you understand that?" she pleaded to him as she paced the court.

Colin looked at her, conflicted. He understood. He thought about his time with and without Alex. He was still happiest in her presence, like now. 

"And what if I want you to stay?" he asked carefully.

She looked at him in shock and shook her head adamantly. "No...no...you have Amy. I can't stay. I'll see you around, Colin." 

Colin wanted to stop her, to tell her that for some reason he could not think about much besides her, but it just didn't work that way. There were too many strings from his previous self that held him back from doing what he wanted. _But that's not me anymore_, he thought angrily. But she was right, he did have Amy, and Amy deserved an attentive and loving boyfriend, especially after waiting for six months for him to wake up. He would be that for her. He could be nothing to Alex.

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Please, please review, that would be SO great! Thanks!


	9. Popped Bubbles

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Author's Note: Hello ALL!!! I was watching "My Funny Valentine" and again was surprised with some of the similarity between my story and the show. What did you guys think of Laynie? I thought she was super cool, but I think Ephram and Amy will eventually (like after another season) will be together...the last shots of the episode showed Ephram and Amy skating...major foreshadowing. They need another girl for Colin cuz you know how he said "I want you" to Amy well, that's only because he doesn't know any other girls!!! Anyway, please review!! I'll appreciate it.

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"Alex? Alex? Are you there?" a voice rang through the cloudiness of her thoughts. 

"Huh?"

"Okay, I just called your name like a whole mess of times and it was like you were in another dimension or something," Wendell said the next day during lunch.

"Oh, I'm sorry Wendell, I was distracted," Alex replied.

Wendell scoffed. "No kidding."

She punched him affectionately on the shoulder. "So, enlighten me, what were you talk about when I zoned out?" 

She had been thinking about what Colin had said the night before. He basically told her that he wanted to be with her. Though exactly what she wanted, it would never happen. Once the pre-coma Colin came back, he would remember all the reasons why he and Amy were perfect together and he would want nothing to do with her. Most likely, this Colin that she was attracted to would disappear.

"I was asking you if you were going to the Valentine's Day Fair," Wendell said.

"Huh? Valentine's Day was last week," she replied, confused.

"Yes, but you see, last week it snowed. So, no fair. But this week, it's not going to snow and the loonies in this town still want the fair," Ephram explained.

"I still declare people of this place have way too much time on their hands," she stated.

"Agreed," both of the boys said. 

"So, you going?" Wendell asked.

"Dunno, when is it?"

"Saturday. You're not working right?" 

"Nope, I might go. I've never been to a small-town fair," she said.

"There was one when we first came and it was pretty lame," Ephram said.

"Man, I saw you on the Ferris Wheel with Amy Abbott. You know you loved it, don't lie," Wendell teased.

Ephram blushed.

Alex laughed slightly. "Okay, okay, enough teasing. I might be there, yeah," she said. 

"Oh, okay, I was going to ask you to be my date, but if you're not sure, then I'll just ask my other numerous ladies to see if they want to join me," Wendell said cockily.

Alex and Ephram laughed heartily at this. 

"Wait, you need a date to go?" Alex asked incredulously. Wasn't that some form of discrimination?

"Well, no, but it helps. Like some of the activities need two people and it's Valentine's Day fair and so people usually go with a date," Wendell explained.

"Oh, I see. Well, I probably won't go," Alex said.

"What? You just said you probably would," Ephram said. He was planning on asking her to be his date if he decided to go. He had to weigh seeing Amy with Colin and hanging with Alex at the fair. 

"C'mon, they want you to have a date to a stupid fair? That's so ridiculous. I mean, it just makes people who can't find a date feel like losers and those with a date feel better than those without one," she said, annoyed.

Wendell sighed, looking around for possible other dates to the fair. Alex was probably going to rant about injustice the entire time she was there if he went with her, it was better to go with someone else. That way, who knew, maybe he'd be lucky and get some action. He laughed at his own thoughts.

"What?" Ephram asked. Wendell just laughed out of nowhere.

"Oh, nothing. I'm brainstorming who else I can ask to the fair. You see, I realized that since it's the Valentine's Day fair, girls might be more in the mood to, you know, hook up. And so, it's actually better that I don't go with Alex," he explained with what he thought was very good logic.

Alex laughed. "I think I'm supposed to take that as a compliment, but I'm not too sure..."

"Yeah, do cuz it means I respect you enough so that I won't make any moves on you during the fair," Wendell said.

Ephram laughed. This was a ridiculous conversation. 

"Okay, um, thanks Wendell," Alex said, putting and arm around Wendell's shoulders as a show of friendship. 

"Anytime."

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"So, the Valentines Day fair is tomorrow, are you going?" Ephram asked Alex as they walked to his dad's office.

"If your dad can make me feel better, yeah, I'll go," she replied. 

Ephram laughed. "Then you're going. My dad will give you a prescription and you'll be fine."

"Then it's settled, I guess," Alex said, coughing slightly. "I hate being sick."

"Yeah. So, I was wondering, do you want to..." Ephram started.

"Sure, Ephram," Alex answered.

"You don't even know what I was gonna ask," Ephram said.

"It wasn't it we'd go to the fair together?" Alex asked.

"Oh, it was," Ephram answered, caught off guard.

Alex smiled. "My ESP is working," she jested.

"Wait, really, how'd you know I was gonna ask you that?""

"Well, you frowned momentarily when Wendell mentioned he was gonna ask me. And then you just brought it up which I didn't think you'd do since your town spirit rivals mine in non-spirity-ness," she explained.

"Non-spirity-ness?" Ephram teased.

"Oh shush up. Making up words is fun," Alex said simply as they walked into the office.

"Hey, Edna," Ephram greeted as he and Alex took off their jackets. 

"Greetings Sergeants, what can I do for you young people?" Edna asked.

"I just wanted to see Dr. Brown if he's available. I think I'm coming down with something," Alex explained.

"Right, kiddo. You're in luck, the Doc's free right now. Just head in there," Edna instructed. 

"Thanks," Alex said as she entered the office.

"Hi, Alex, what can I do for you?" Dr. Brown asked.

"Hi, Andy. Um, I just came down with this cold, flu thing and I was wondering if you could work your magic," she said.

"Well, we'll see what I can do," Andy said. As he diagnosed her, he made pleasant conversation. "So, how have you been, Alex?"

"Oh, alright. I'm going to the Valentines Day fair tomorrow," she said.

"Really? Maybe you can convince Ephram to go."

"He is going," she replied.

"Oh, that's great. I'm surprised since he's usually not into town functions."

"Yeah," she commented.

Edna knocked and opened the door. "Doc, the Harts are here whenever you're through with Alex."

"Thanks Edna," Andy said. 

"I can go if you need to talk to Colin and his parents," Alex offered.

"Don't be silly. I'm almost done here. It appears that you have a minor infection. I'm gonna give you a prescription and that should knock the bug out of you in no time," Andy said.

"Thanks, Andy. Can, can I ask you something?" Alex asked.

"Sure."

"How long does it usually take for someone to remember his previous self after the kind of coma Colin was in for so long?" she asked curiously.

"Well, Colin is lucky to be doing as well as he's doing. It can take months, years, or he could never totally remember everything," Andy explained.

"Really?"

"Yes, there could always be gaps in him memory," Andy said.

"Wow, that's awful," Alex whispered.

"Yes, it is, but Colin is a strong person," he said and he handed her the prescription.

"And...um, will the Colin we know now, you know, disappear so to speak if he were to remember everything from his past?" she asked carefully.

"No, I seriously doubt that. You see, the experiences of the past three months have affected Colin, and it's good they have. He's a different person now and it'll probably stay that way," Andy replied. "It's hard to fit back into a mold that was created before."

Alex thought about it. So that meant Colin might not ever be the same Colin as before. "Thanks, Andy," she said thoughtfully as she walked out of the office. 

"Anytime," he replied.

She saw Ephram and Colin laughing and talking in the waiting room. 

"Hey," Ephram greeted. Colin turned to look at Alex, a sad smile on his face.

"Hey," she said. "Hi, Colin," she said quietly. The effect of the news Andy gave her still lingered, and she knew Colin had to have known this too.

"Hi," Colin replied. "So, Ephram tells me you're not feeling too great," he added.

"Yeah, I hate coughing. But Dr. Brown's prescription should do the trick. Are you hear for a check-up?" she asked.

"Yeah, just hafta figure out if I still need to go to Denver or not," he answered. Alex nodded in understanding. Colin had told her how much he despised rehab. 

"Colin, dear, who's your friend?" Mrs. Hart asked, standing next to her son.

"Oh, I'm sorry, that was rude. Mom, this is Alex, Alex, this is my mom," Colin introduced.

"It's really nice to meet you, Mrs. Hart," Alex said politely.

"Same here. Aren't you the Alex who was with Colin when he first started to remember things?" Mrs. Hart asked curiously.

Alex looked at Colin, shocked. His parents knew about her? "Yes, yes, that's me alright," she said uncomfortably.

"Well, whatever it is you did, keep on doing it! We want all of our Colin back as soon as possible," Mrs. Hart said, smiling. She meant what she said to be lighthearted, but Alex saw the hurt in Colin's eyes.

"Mrs. Hart, can I speak to you momentarily?" Andy asked.

"Oh, sure," she replied, walking into his office.

Once she was out of hearing range, Alex looked at Colin straight in the eye, who looked like he was still hurt by his mother's comment. 

"She didn't mean it like that. She didn't know what she was saying. You are a complete person as you are now and don't let anyone tell you differently," Alex said passionately. 

Colin smiled slightly because Alex understood him. "Thank you," he whispered. He had a sudden urge to kiss her right then, but Ephram and Edna were there and his mother was behind the door...it couldn't happen. 

She sighed and nodded. She knew what Colin had been thinking since it was also on her mind.

"So, uh, are you guys going to the fair tomorrow?" Colin asked, breaking the bubble he and Alex had made for themselves.

Ephram had been off to the side, having no part in the previous conversation, but then returned to the group. 

"Yeah, Alex and I figured we'd check it out," Ephram said.

"Oh, so, um, you guys are going together?" Colin asked carefully. 

"Uh, yeah, sorta, only for convenience sake," Ephram answered, trying to relieve the tension in the room. Alex looked away, so did Colin. Jealousy momentarily coursed through Colin, but he suppressed it.

"I hafta fill my prescription," Alex said uncomfortably. "I'll see you later," she said, addressing Colin. 

"Yeah, bye, Alex."

Ephram said his goodbyes and left with Alex. "That was interesting," he commented, alluding to the tension in the air. "It seemed like Colin was jealous of us going together or something, maybe he..."

"Don't, Ephram," Alex pled, cutting off her friend.

"I'm sorry," he said quickly, looking over at Alex who wiped something away from her cheek. "I didn't mean to upset you."

"I know," Alex replied. 

Why was she crying, no, she wasn't crying, just tearing. Why was she tearing? She suffered far worse than stupid boy-troubles and didn't cry about it. She cursed herself; she was being such a stereotypical, melodramatic teenager. She blamed it on the hormones.

"Alex?"

"Yeah?" she asked, wiping her cheek again before facing Ephram. 

"The pharmacy," he said, pointing to the door she had just passed.

"Oh, right."

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Please review! The next chapter will be up after Fanfiction.net re-opens. Sorry for the wait, I have written it, but I need to edit and then add stuff to it, probably. I know where this story is going, now worries! Thank again for reading!


	10. You wanted me

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Author's Note: SO sorry that it too so long to update, but this story had been giving me problems. I kept on re-writing this chapter, trying to get it just right, and hopefully you think it's worth it. Thanks to all my reviewers, especially the ones who review every single chapter! You guys are terrific! So, please read and review and I hope you enjoy!

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"So, are you excited about the Valentine's Day fair?" Amy asked Colin as they walked around Everwood. 

"Oh, um, yeah," Colin replied as enthusiastically as he could. 

His thoughts were on what Dr. Brown had told him earlier. Colin still had to go to Denver for rehab but he was improving at a wonderful rate. His coordination was near one hundred percent and his short term memory was completely normal. The long term memory, however, was still a variable. Dr. Brown confessed to Colin once again that he wasn't sure how much more of his past he would remember. Colin remembered many flashes from his previous life, and was finally able to string them together into a rough picture of his previous self. He wasn't sure if he liked what he saw.

From what he knew, he was a confident, smooth-talking, and cocky boy who deep inside, did have a good heart. He was a stud basketball player who, though intelligent, just got by in school because he was too busy out having fun to care about his studies. He thought he didn't need to because he figured he'd get a basketball scholarship from a college, preferably University of Colorado. He basked in the attention his parents, his friends, his schoolmates, and the town of Everwood gave him. He was a hero to them all and he knew it. 

Colin was nothing like him. He was an insecure teenager grasping for sheds from his past. He was a conscientious student because he knew scholarly merits, not basketball, would get him into a college. He hated the sympathetic attention thrown on him from bystanders and his own friends and family. He didn't like the parties Amy took him to, though supposedly the _real _Colin adored them. He wasn't a hero, he was just...Colin. 

"Last year, it was great. There were these games like which couple could kiss the longest without taking a breath and we won that. The prize was this big stuffed pink heart with a smiley face that I still have in my room. God, it was so much fun. And then..." Amy said.

"Amy," Colin cut her off. 

"Yeah?" she asked. 

"Are you happy?" he asked her. 

"What?" she asked, surprised. That seemed like an absurd question to ask her. 

"Are you happy with me?" Colin elaborated.

She thought about it. "Of course I am," she replied.

"Really?"

"Colin, why are you asking me this?" Amy asked, growing a bit defensive.

"If I never remembered anymore of my past. Would you still want to be with me, as I am now?" he asked.

She frowned. "Is this about what Dr. Brown told you today?"

"No. This is about the worse case scenario."

"You'll remember, Colin. And then everything will be fine," Amy insisted.

That suffocating feeling crept back into Colin's body once again. "No, Amy, I might not. And this Colin might be the best you get. Am I what you want?" he asked her straightforwardly. 

The simple answer was _no_. Amy was holding out for the prospect of her Colin returning. That was what she wanted, right? If that were so, the why was her immediate response in her mind _no, I want Ephram_. That was by far the last person she wanted. She wanted her Colin, yes, that was what she wanted. 

"Amy?"

She looked up at Colin. She had gotten to know this Colin and she did think he was a nice person, but the fact that he wore the face of a boy she once loved made it impossible for her to really care about him.

Instead of answering his question, she kissed him. Her Colin would come back, he had to.

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"Okay, there's way too much red and pink here," Alex said as she entered the fair with Ephram.

"Yeah, the _less is more _theory certainly doesn't apply," Ephram added.

They were making their way around the booths of red and pink foods and some of the games when Wendell approached them.

"Hello, lovebirds," he greeted them.

"Oh, hush, Wendell," Alex retorted. "What's up?"

"This is Molly, Molly, meet Alex and Ephram," Wendell said, directing their attention to the pretty girl next to him. She looked young, probably a freshman. 

"Hi," they all said to each other.

Wendell looked at Alex and Ephram smugly before saying, "We gotta go, don't wanna miss the, um...festivities."

"Bye, Wendell," Alex said as Wendell walked away.

"I can't believe he actually got a date," Ephram said incredulously.

"He could have paid her," Alex suggested.

Ephram laughed, "You know, I wouldn't be surprised." 

They walked around some more and Ephram bought Alex some red cotton candy...pink would have been too boring. They did the three-legged race and the "feed your partner as much pie as possible in a minute" contest, but opted not to do the kissing game. That would have been terribly uncomfortable. Alex was having a wonderful time and as she and Ephram ran around the fair like children, a voice stopped them.

"Oh, Alex, hello," Dr. Abbott greeted her. He was in a red cardigan for the occasion. 

"Hello Dr. Abbott," Alex replied respectfully. Ephram tried to look as mature as he could, but he had bits of apple pie all over his shirt.

"I just want to tell you that I simply adored you cooking and I wanted to apologize again for the way I acted. I wouldn't have blamed you if you had spit in my food. Anyway, I look forward to the next time you cook at Gino's."

"Oh, thank you. And, um, if ever I need to do the cooking, I'll make sure you know about it," Alex replied. 

"Alright, you two have fun," Dr. Abbott said as he walked off to find Rose.

Ephram looked at her quizzically. "What was that about?"

Alex told Ephram the whole story. As Ephram laughed hysterically at the prospect of Dr. Abbott being upstaged by a teenager, he ran into someone.

"Hey, watch it twerp!" the guy said. It was Charlie, Colin's supposed buddy. Bright was with him as well.

"Hi, Ephram," Bright greeted. He ignored Alex.

"Bright," Ephram acknowledged.

"So, I'm glad to see you're finally over my sister," Bright said harshly while scrutinizing Alex.

Ephram didn't know how to respond to that.

"Who's over your sister?" Colin asked innocently, approaching the group with Amy at hand. 

Amy looked at Ephram, shocked. 

"No one," Alex jumped in. "C'mon Ephram, I want one of those heart-shaped burgers."

"Who asked you to talk, _Kat_? That heinous bitch title really suits you well. Bright was talking about that twerp," Charlie said cruely, pointing at Ephram.

"Shut up Charlie, don't call Alex a bitch," Colin countered angrily. "Wait..._what_?" he asked, realizing what Charlie had said. 

There was silence around the group. 

"Can someone please explain all this to me?" Colin asked annoyed, looking at everyone.

"Bright just said that he was happy this punk didn't like Amy anymore," Charlie said.

The look Alex gave Charlie could have froze an ocean. "Charlie, shut up." 

Colin blinked several times. "Ephram, did you like Amy?"

Ephram had been waiting for a long time to tell Colin everything, but this wasn't the way he had pictured divulging all the information he kept inside for so long. He was Colin's friend, he didn't want to mess up their relationship, but somehow it seemed unavoidable.

"Colin, maybe this conversation should happen somewhere else," Amy suggested. Ephram sighed with momentary relief. 

Colin looked at her suspiciously. "Fine, let's go over there," he said, pointing to a area of grass where there was no activity. "Bright, Charlie, stay here, okay?" he asked.

"Yeah, man," Bright said sadly. He hadn't meant for this to be such a big deal.

"I'll see you in a bit," Alex said to Ephram, touching his arm encouragingly. Ephram nodded sadly and Colin was momentarily jealous of the soft tone of voice Alex used to talk to Ephram. 

Alex watched the three walk over to the vacant spot slowly. When they arrived, Colin said, "Okay, what is it, you guys?" he asked Ephram and Amy.

Ephram looked and Amy. 

Amy turned back to Colin looking like she was about to cry. "I wasn't really truthful when you asked how well I knew Ephram," she started.

"Okay..." Colin replied.

"I befriended Ephram initially because I wanted his dad to help you. And so I was really nice and it turned out that he was a really cool guy. Anyway, he was a wonderful friend, helping me when I asked him to and even when I didn't. At, uh, at a fieldtrip, some guys pulled a prank on me saying you had woken up and I was so happy for a quick second but was crushed when I realized it was a prank. Ephram defended me and then we talked and um, we kissed," she said, watching Colin's reaction - his eyes fell.

Ephram was surprised that Amy said "we kissed" rather than "he kissed me."

"Is there more?" Colin asked softly, not looking at Amy or Ephram.

"Um, we, we still were friends and um, we, we kissed again," Amy replied lamely.

"What about after I woke up?"

"No, there's been nothing," Amy answered quickly. "I'm sorry," she whispered.

There was silence. 

"You could have told me sooner," Colin said angrily to Amy and Ephram. "I mean, I would have understood. Six months is a long time and the emotional crap you must have gone through...it's understandable, but you guys have been lying to me the entire time," he finished, hurt. 

"I'm sorry, Colin, I, I never wanted it to go down like this," Ephram said.

"It's not his fault. He wanted to tell you. I was the one who told him to not tell you," Amy confessed.

"Why not?" Colin practically yelled, frustrated.

"Because I didn't want to lose you! Telling you something like that would have be a disaster," Amy said.

"It wouldn't have because I didn't remember you," Colin said. It sounded a lot harsher than he meant it to. "I'm sorry, that came out wrong." 

"No, I understand," Amy said sadly. 

"I can't do this anymore."

"What?" Amy asked, scared.

"Amy, I see the way you look at him in the halls. I may not have a memory, but I'm not blind," Colin replied. 

"But you, we're together, we..." she rambled, tears about to fall down her cheeks.

"I'm not the same Colin," he said softly. "I never can be. I've been trying to be your boyfriend, Bright's best friend, my mother's son, but it's impossible to fit back into that role exactly. I can't. I'm just not him. I have to be myself, though I'm not exactly sure what that means. I...I need that, Amy, and you need to see what there is between you and Ephram."

Amy looked at him, realizing what he said was true, but she still didn't want to believe it. He could never be completely _her_ Colin. He was just...Colin. Her Colin was gone, forever, and somehow, she had known that all along. She had no organic feelings for this Colin, only for the boy who shared his face. 

She didn't know why, but she became angry. "It's because of _her, _right?" she asked him, pointing at Alex in the distance.

"Partially, yeah," Colin replied without hesitation. "But I can't be the Colin you remember, Amy, I'm sorry."

Amy began tearing, "Fine," she replied. "Goodbye, Colin." She ran away. 

Ephram looked at Colin. "I'm sorry," he said again. 

"Don't be," Colin replied. "Go after her, Ephram."

Ephram nodded in understanding and followed Amy.

Colin watched Ephram run after Amy. He had done the right thing, it was what he had wanted to do for a long time. He felt freer, happier, and he hoped Amy would feel the same way eventually. He knew she wasn't happy with him, he knew she didn't want him. And in all honesty, he didn't want her. Hopefully, they would eventually be friends. 

He walked back over to Alex.

"Hey," he said.

"Hi," she replied softly. "Looked like a lot of drama over there."

"Yeah, yeah," he replied.

"Are you okay?" she asked him. It looked like Amy and Colin had broken up, but she wanted to hear the words from him.

"I'm fine. I broke it off with Amy. Ephram went to go see her," he said.

"Oh, um, I'm sorry," Alex said, though she really wasn't. She was jumping inside that Amy and Colin were no longer together, but that was an inappropriate thing to say.

"Why?"

"Because you and Amy broke up."

"Oh, then, I guess...I guess you like Ephram then," he replied sadly.

"_What?_" Where on Earth did he get than notion?

"You don't?"

"No! Geez, Colin, all this tension between us and you think I like Ephram?" she asked.

Colin thought about it and smiled with embarrassment. "Jealousy blinds you sometimes, I guess."

"There was nothing to be jealous about," she insisted. God, she wanted to kiss him.

"Just like there's nothing to feel sorry about," Colin replied.

Alex hesitated. "I knew about Ephram and Amy," she said bluntly.

Colin frowned. "What?" he exclaimed angrily. 

"I knew. Ephram told me. I knew the night before I told you to go after Amy," she said.

"Wait, so you knew Amy liked Ephram and you still told me to be with her?" he asked harshly. No one was honest with him.

"Amy had been ignoring Ephram the entire time because of you. He was crushed. She wanted you!" Alex said, matching Colin's tone of voice.

"No! No! She never wanted _me_! She wanted the dead Colin!" he shouted back. "But, you...you wanted _me_. And you guilt-tripped me into being with Amy!"

"Eventually, I thought you would remember her and forget about me! And then you'd realize how much you care about her and how much you want to be with her and how stupid it would be to let her go!" Alex yelled, fear evident in her voice. 

Colin was silent for a few moments. He understood, but she knew now that he could never just forget her. "Is that why you walked away from me?" he asked softly.

"Yes. Colin...I didn't want to get hurt," she confessed. "And if I stuck around longer and you realized Amy was the love of your life, I would have been..." 

She couldn't continue her rant because Colin's lips were on hers. After the initial shock, she kissed him back fervently. The warmth from his lips traveled down her neck to her tummy. He wrapped his arms around her waist and pulled her close, his heart racing. 

When they parted, they looked into each other's eyes grinning madly. They were finally happy. 

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Author's Note: To all the Amy/Colin fans, I very sorry, but I just don't think this "new" Colin fits with Amy. Amy wants her old Colin back and quite frankly, I don't think he's coming back. Anyway, this story is not over, though I haven't written anymore and so it'll take a while to update. Please review, and I hope I made the circumstances realistic. Thanks! 


	11. State of Bliss

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Author's Note: Okay, so, so sorry that this took 8 days to get posted. I've been working on my Dark Angel story and then I got stuck with this one, but anyway, here is the next chapter. I think there will be one more chapter and then that's it. It's so shocking that this story will be coming to a close...Anyway, please review. They mean so very much to me. Hope you enjoy!!

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Ephram walked over to Amy tentatively. She was sitting on a bench, far away from the Valentine's Day festivities. Her knees were against her chest and when Ephram looked at her face, he saw that she wasn't crying.

"Hey," he said.

She turned to him. "Hi."

"Can I sit down?"

"Yeah," she said, scooting over to make room. She looked out to the street and shops on the other side. 

"You know, when my mom died, people would try to comfort me by saying that things happen for a reason. I think it gave them comfort to say something like that cuz it didn't comfort me. So...I can't say Colin getting into the accident and falling into a coma happened for a reason. But I can't help but think that if my mom hadn't died and if Colin hadn't been in the coma, I wouldn't have moved here, you wouldn't have befriended me, I wouldn't have fallen for you, and we wouldn't be sitting here right now. Is that reason or just life? I dunno," he said.

Amy thought about what Ephram had said and reached over to hold his hand. She looked into his eyes and then returned to staring in front of her. Ephram smiled slightly and sat next to Amy that day for what seemed like hours. 

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He held her face gently with his hands before kissing her again. God, he couldn't get enough of this. It probably wasn't too smart doing this right in the middle of the fair where anyone could see, but they would worry about that later. She didn't seem to care, anyways. 

"Hey," he said softly after they parted. 

"Hi," she replied.

They both started laughing with happiness. 

"I think we should get out of here," Colin suggested.

"Oh? And go where?" Alex asked.

"Anywhere."

"Hmm, okay," she said, kissing him lightly and taking his hand in hers. 

"Where are we going?" Colin asked.

"Well, considering all of Everwood is shut down for this fair, I thought we'd just head back to my uncle's house. We can watch a movie or something," she said as they walked.

"What does the _something_ entail?" Colin asked suggestively. 

She looked at him and laughed, shaking her head. "You teenage boys are too hormone-crazed," she stated.

"Well, do you blame me? A beautiful girl is taking me to a house where we'd be alone...a guy can try," Colin jested. He had no idea why he was making a complete ass out of himself, but he felt like he could ask anything when he was with her and she would understand what he meant. 

"Yeah, you can try, but it ain't happening," Alex said. Colin nodded in understanding. Alex was surprised that five minutes into their relationship they addressed the issue of sex and he had respected her response. All relationships were definitely not this open. Then she stopped walking and faced him. "But it is nice that you think I'm beautiful," she added.

Colin wrapped his arms around her waist and kissed her. "What's a word that means beyond beautiful?" he asked afterwards.

Alex's head was spinning so much with joy that she couldn't really think. "Um, I...I'm not sure," she replied. If he wasn't holding her, she was certain she would have fallen with dizziness, which would have been terribly embarrassing. 

"Well, whatever that word is, that's what you are," he stated. He sighed, it was like he was on a natural high and he hoped she felt the same way. Judging by the way she blushed, she did.

"C'mon, we should start walking again. At this rate, it'll take us the whole afternoon to get to my place," she said. It actually took forty-five minutes to walk what usually would have taken fifteen minutes because they stopped so often to kiss and talk and kiss some more. But neither of them really minded at all.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"Okay, so _A Beautiful Mind _or _The Bourne Identity_?" Amy asked Ephram as they strolled through the video store the next day. 

"Um, I'm not sure. They're way too different," Ephram replied.

"The second word of each title starts with a B," Amy commented. 

"Yes, and Matt Damon was in _Good Will Hunting_, which was also about a genius like in _A Beautiful Mind_," he added.

"Exactly, you see? More similar than you think," Amy said, reaching for his hand to hold.

Ephram laughed and squeezed her hand. He was happy that Amy was willing to show this much affection in public where people could gossip and stare to their hearts' content. 

"Alright, Ham, which one?" Amy asked him one final time. 

"Well, Grover, why don't we combine them and see _Good Will Hunting_?" Ephram suggested.

Amy frowned momentarily and Ephram was confused as to what he did wrong. 

Then he realized. "Amy, I'm sorry, that was Colin's name for you, I didn't mean to upset..." he started.

"It's alright, Ephram," Amy replied, cutting him off. "The Colin I knew is gone and I've accepted that. And in the back of my head, I've known that for a long time. And Colin's with Alex and I'm fine with that, I'm actually happy for them. So, don't worry about it," she added reassuringly, facing him and holding both of his hands in hers.

Ephram nodded and wanted to kiss her, but having their first kiss as a couple in a video store didn't sound so appealing. "Okay."

"Good," Amy replied, smiling. "Now let's go get _Good Will Hunting_."

Ephram smiled in return as Amy dragged him over to the appropriate isle.

They eventually got to Ephram's house which was thankfully empty of people. His dad was at the office and Delia was playing with Sam. 

"So, did you want anything to drink?" Ephram asked Amy as they headed towards the kitchen.

"Wait, Ephram..." Amy said cautiously. 

Ephram froze. He worried that she would tell him that they weren't working out after one day and that she was still madly in love with Colin. Although he braced himself for the ultimate rejection, he grasped her hand gently, silently pleading to her to stay there, with him.

A small smile crept over Amy's face and Ephram was very confused. However, the confusion was instantly swept away when he felt Amy's soft lips on his. No...this could definitely work out. 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 

"You have amazingly small feet," Colin commented on Sunday as he and Alex sat on her living room couch with their feet on the coffee table in front of them. 

"No, you just have big, floppy feet," she replied, her head resting comfortably against his shoulder.

"No, I'm normal. You're the weird one," Colin teased.

"Well, we all knew that," she replied, playing along as the end credits of the movie rolled on screen. She loved cable. 

Colin laughed. It was ironic that he called himself normal because the whole "losing your memory" thing wasn't very normal. But when he was with Alex, he felt just like a regular teenager. That made him indescribably happy.

"Are you hungry?" Alex asked him.

Colin thought about it, but his stomach gurgled in response. Alex laughed and Colin blushed with embarrassment. 

"Sorry," he said.

"It's all good. Let's make something to eat," she said, pulling him off of the couch and heading for the kitchen. "What do you feel like having?" she asked him.

He shrugged. "Are you cooking it?" he inquired.

"Yeah," she said, looking into the refrigerator for something to cook. "But you're helping." 

Colin came up behind her and wrapped his arms around her waist, pulling her backwards against him. He kissed her neck gently. He never wanted to stop touching her, to stop being with her. 

"It's so nice having a girlfriend who can cook," he said between kisses.

Alex stiffened and Colin felt it.

"Did I bite your neck?" he asked worriedly while he released her.

She turned around and shook her head. "No, it's just that no one's ever called me their _girlfriend_ before," she confessed.

"You were never in a relationship before?" Colin asked incredulously.

"Unless that make-out session with that guy I hardly knew at that party which landed me in Everwood counts as a relationship," she said quickly.

"I don't think so," Colin replied.

"Well then, no."

"I feel very flattered to be the first boyfriend," Colin said, kissing her.

"Yes, you should be," she said, kissing him back passionately.

They kissed for minutes until Alex finally pulled away. "Okay, we need to eat. My tummy's gurgling too."

Colin laughed and they started to prepare their dinner.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"So, big weekend, huh?" Ephram asked Alex the following Monday before school started. 

She smiled. "Yeah," she admitted, as she opened her locker to get out her history and English books for her first two periods. She and Colin had spent majority of Saturday and Sunday together just hanging out. It was wonderful to be with him. "For you too, eh?"

"I doubt as big, but, yeah," he replied. "Amy's not upset about you being with Colin since he's not her Colin, but she needs to take it slow with me." But he couldn't help but smile when he thought about that kiss she gave him. 

"I'm sure you won't mind," Alex commented, noticing Ephram's grin as she closed her locker.

He shook his head. "Nope, not at all. She's worth it."

Just then the bell rang. 

"Alright, see you during lunch," Alex said before walking off to history.

Colin wasn't in class when Alex sat down, but she soon felt someone kiss her cheek. Just when she about to scream at that person for touching her, she saw it was Colin.

"You don't look too happy to see me," Colin said.

She smiled with embarrassment. "I didn't think it was you, I was about to yell at you."

"Why wouldn't it be me. Expecting someone else to kiss you?" he teased.

She rolled her eyes before replying, "It's just this whole concept of a relationship is new. And I sorta forgot momentarily that you are my boyfriend," she said.

"I think I should feel hurt by that. You forgot I was you boyfriend? How'd you feel if I forgot you were my girlfriend?" Colin teased some more.

Alex was clearly flustered. "I know, I know, and I'm sorry. But if you told me right when I got here that nine weeks from then I would be in a relationship with an amazing guy who would willingly show he affection for me during school, I would have thought that..." she rambled.

"Alex?" Colin cut her off, amused by her discomfort. She was the one that was always so poised. 

"Yeah?" 

"It's cool, I get it. I'm not offended, don't worry. What I didn't tell you yesterday was that this is new to me too," he confessed.

"You were with Amy for a couple of weeks," Alex commented.

"Yeah, but um, she sorta did most of the talking and the work. It wasn't a real give-and-take type of thing," he said.

"Oh," she replied, enlightened. And here she thought that they were a fully functioning couple for at least part of the time they were together. 

"Alright class, let's get started..." Mrs. Evans said, stopping the conversation between Alex and Colin.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"Why do you two look so happy?" Wendell asked suspiciously during lunch.

"Huh?" Alex asked.

"You're both glowing like crazy," Wendell explained.

"Really?" Ephram asked innocently from beside Alex.

"Yeah," Wendell said. "Oh my God!" he exclaimed.

"What's wrong, Wendell?" Alex asked.

"You two are together!" he whispered loudly.

Ephram and Alex looked at each other and laughed. That was the last thing they suspected Wendell to say. 

"No, that's not it," Alex. "We aren't together."

"But there's something going one then, right? You'd admit that much, right?" Wendell asked fervently.

"Yeah, Wendell, something's up," Ephram said.

"I dating Colin," Alex confessed, unable to hold back a smile.

"And I'm dating Amy," Ephram added, smiling as well.

Wendell looked at them for an instance in complete shock. "Colin Hart? Amy Abbott?" he asked incredulously.

"Yes," Alex and Ephram replied.

"Oh my God!" Wendell shouted. People all around their table looked at Wendell, annoyed. Alex and Ephram told him to hush.

"Seriously?" Wendell whispered.

"Yes," Alex repeated. 

"Since when? How?" Wendell asked.

"Since Saturday. They broke up because Colin likes Alex and Amy likes me," Ephram answered. Amy liked him...he couldn't get over that fact. It made him feel so special.

"How come you guys didn't tell me?" Wendell asked, annoyed.

"We're tell you now," Alex said.

"Fine, fine. This is weird, now I feel like a total loser cuz I don't have a girlfriend," Wendell sulked.

"What about Molly?" Ephram asked.

Wendell shook her head. "Nah, kissing her was fun, but she'd make a boring girlfriend," he said. "Not too intelligent."

Alex laughed. 

"It's all your fault, you know," Wendell accused Alex.

"Huh? How do you figure?" she asked him.

"Cuz of you I want a smart girl, you've successfully spoiled me. And cuz I want a smart girl, that take away like seventy-five percent of the girls in Everwood. And then the remaining twenty-five percent want anything to do with me," Wendell reasoned.

"Aw, that's so sweet," Alex said, leaning across the table to mess with Wendell's hair affectionately. "Your time will come," she assured him. "I bet you'll grow up to be a major hottie and then all these girls who've dissed you will be kicking themselves in the ass for not going out with you."

"Who'd grow up to be a hottie?" Colin asked, sitting down on the other side of Alex and wrapping an arm around her waist.

"Wendell," she said, jumping in surprise at the sudden contact. Colin laughed, remembering their conversation in history class and Alex swatted him playfully.

"I fully agree," Colin said. 

"You do, man?" Wendell asked, somewhat honored that Colin was sitting at their table.

"Yes," Colin replied truthfully. 

"What are you doing here?" Alex asked Colin.

"Came to see you."

"They don't care?" she asked, alluding to the popular kids Colin usually hung out with.

He shrugged. "Dunno. I figured I'd spend half my lunch with them and half with you and Ephram and Wendell, assuming you guys wouldn't mind," Colin said.

"Not at all," Wendell replied. 

Ephram looked over to where Amy sat and saw her looking at him, smiling. He smiled back. He wondered how long it would be until Amy came over and sat with them, if she would sit with them ever. He didn't like the popular kids and Amy knew that. 

"Hi," Amy said, sitting down next to Ephram.

"Wow, okay, I just saw you over there," he said, surprised.

"Kayla was getting annoying again and your company is much better anyways," she replied. "Hi, Wendell," she said with a smile.

Wendell's mouth was slightly open with shock. The most cherished couple in County High was no longer together and they were both dating his best friends. The weirdness hadn't quite sunk in until now. "Hi, Amy," he replied slowly.

"So, what's up?" Amy asked the group. 

Suddenly the group launched into a conversation about the weekend and the absurd things at the Valentine's Day Fair. Ephram looked around his group at the smiling faces and was amazed that they all had come so far. 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

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Author's Note: So, what did you think? The feedback would be great! Thanks!


	12. Home

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Author's Note: Okay, this is it! Last chapter! Yay! Thank you to all my reviewers, especially the ones that review every chapter. You guys rock my world. Hopefully you've enjoyed this story. Please read and review and let me know what you thought. Best wishes until next time!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 

"So, tell me, what do Everwoodians do for summer?" Alex asked Colin as they strolled down the street. It was mid June and she and Colin got out of school that day.

"Everwoodians?" Colin teased.

"Well, _Everwooders_ sounded really stupid. _Everwoodians_ has a happy sorta connotation," Alex replied.

Colin laughed. "Whatever you say."

"But seriously, what happens in the summer?" Alex asked, swinging their intertwined hands lightly.

"Um, you're asking the wrong person," Colin said.

Alex thought about this for a moment and froze, "Oh God, I'm so sorry. I was completely stupid. Shit, sorry, I mean, I should have thought about the question and..." she rambled on.

"Hey, it's okay," Colin said, letting go of her hand to rub her shoulders. 

"No, it's not," Alex said, embarrassed.

"Actually, it was good that you forgot. It's been like over six months and people still label me as the guy with no memory; it was nice that you just thought of me as a regular guy," Colin explained. 

"You're far from regular, in the good way, of course," she said.

Colin kissed her. "But I did see pictures of what happens during summer."

"Oh?"

"Yeah, there's a big Fourth of July fair where there are fireworks. It's pretty cool," Colin said. 

"Good. Sounds peaceful," Alex said as they walked towards her house. 

Over the past six months, Alex learned to appreciate the quirks of a small town life. It was monotonous at times, granted, but so was life in L.A. After the uncomfortable stares and gossips in the beginning, something about walking into _Mama Joy's _and the waiter knowing your name was oddly comforting. 

Well, the gossiping actually continued to that day since people seemed to be betting when Colin would get all of his memory back and dump Alex to go back to Amy. However, Colin, Alex, Amy, and Ephram all knew that the relationships they were in weren't things that passed the time until the other Colin returned. 

Colin had succeeded in making a full physical recovery and would even be allowed to play on the basketball team next year, but there were still gaps in his memory, like what he did in the summertime. He would still get flashes occasionally of his previous life, but he finally understood that that was all they were...flashes. He had to be his own person, and the people who stuck by him now were his true friends. 

"Ack, the door got jammed," Alex said, annoyed, once they reached her porch area. 

"Here, lemme see," Colin said as Alex stepped aside. He pushed the door, but it wouldn't budge. It was as though the door bulged out of the doorframe. He slammed his body against the door and it burst open, pulling Colin to the floor. 

"Colin!"

"I'm fine," he said from the floor. 

Alex reached out for his hands and helped him up. "Thank you," she said, kissing him. 

Colin smiled. "Anytime," he replied, kissing her in return.

Just as they were about to deepen the kiss, someone cleared their throat. Colin and Alex broke apart, alarmed that they had an audience. Alex turned in the direction of the sound and looked shock.

"Mom? Dad?" she said, not quite believing that the people sitting in the living room to her left were real people. 

"Hello, Alexis," her mother said, standing up. Yup, no doubt they were real.

"What...what are you doing here?" Alex asked, clearly shook up.

"We wanted to see you. Gino says you've been doing well in school, expecting straight A's in your classes," her father said, standing up as well. 

"Oh, um, yes, yes I am," Alex replied uncomfortably. She hadn't spoken to her parents much during her time in Everwood; the last time she talked to them was two weeks ago. 

"Aren't you going to introduce us to your friend?" her father asked suspiciously. He looked at Colin, appraising him, and Colin unconsciously stood straighter under his scrutiny.

"Oh, yes. Mom, Dad, this is my boyfriend Colin Hart. Colin, these are my parents," Alex said.

"It's a pleasure to meet you, Mr. and Mrs. Nasagawa," Colin said respectfully, shaking their hands.

Alex smiled. Colin was acting a heck of a lot calmer than she was. Then again, these were her parents.

"Alexis has never mentioned you. Are you new?" Mr. Nasagawa asked. 

Colin's eyes momentarily fell. "No, we've been dating for four months," he replied.

Alex wanted scream at her father for saying something like that. They never asked about her social life, ever. Their phone calls consisted of talking about school, her grades, her work, and the fact that she was staying out of trouble. 

"Why are you guys here?" Alex asked.

"Well, we want you to come home, Alexis," her mother said.

"What?" Alex said, shocked.

"You did well here, and we figured that you should come back to L.A. for your senior year. Your punishment is over," he father elaborated.

Punishment. Although she thought this was a freezing cold version of hell on Earth in the beginning, she no longer viewed it as punishment. She had a few good friends, even found a girl friend in Amy, and had a great boyfriend. Her life was finally getting in order here in Everwood and now her parents wanted to extract her from all of it. Then again, she couldn't deny that she missed L.A. 

"Um, I...I should go," Colin said softly. Alex looked at him and sighed. He looked terribly upset. "I'll see you later. Nice to meet you," he added, addressing her and her parents. He turned around without another glance in Alex's direction and was gone.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"Hey," a voice stirred Alex from her thoughts two days later. 

"Ephram," she greeted. She sat on her porch bench, staring out into space as she debated her choice. 

"Can I join you?" he asked.

"Course," she replied.

He sat down next to her and silence followed for a while. "So, I heard that your parents are here," he said finally.

"Yup, staying at the hotel," she commented.

"I also heard that they want you to go back to L.A."

"Colin told you?"

"Yeah, yesterday," Ephram answered.

"He won't return my phone calls," Alex said sadly. "And I went over to his house and his mom said he wasn't there."

"He's just upset," Ephram said. 

"I wish he'd talk to me. It's not like I made up my mind or anything like that," she replied.

"What way are you leaning towards?" Ephram asked.

"I dunno," Alex answered, lost. "I used to only want to get back to L.A., but not anymore. It doesn't seem like a big deal, living here. I've worked hard to make it work here, figuring I couldn't be back there."

"But now that you can go back there..."

"I sorta want to," she finished.

"I had a chance to move back to New York," Ephram said.

"Yeah?"

"Yup, my grandparents offered to let me live with them and go to school there. I would have been with all my friends and everything," Ephram explained.

"What happened?"

"My dad asked me not to go back. He said he wanted me here to help take care of Delia. So, I stayed, because I realized I was needed more here than back there."

"Are you happy with the decision you made?"

Ephram nodded. "Sure I miss the city, the hectic lifestyle, the nice house, all of it. But my dad, though I probably will never say this to his face, is a good guy and all it took for me to stay was he asking me to. But this was before I met you, and long before Amy and I got together. If I left, I wouldn't have gained a friend and girlfriend," he answered. 

Alex smiled. "Well, I doubt Gino will really ask me to stay because he needs help at the restaurant or something like that," she said.

"I could say that my dad's request was the sole reason why I stayed, but it wasn't. Although I was miserable here a lot of the time, there were things that I really liked."

"Like Amy," Alex teased.

Ephram laughed. "Yeah, she's one of the things. But this place grows on you in a weird, suffocating way."

"I know what you mean," Alex said quietly. "I think it's the people though."

"Colin?"

"Yeah. I can't believe the things that I feel when I'm with him. The thought of walking away from that really scares me," she admitted.

Ephram was silent.

"Do you think it's the people or the location that makes a place your home?" she asked him.

"The people," he said without hesitation. He remembered that one time where he confessed to Amy that she was the only thing that made Everwood home for him. And though the list of people expanded as time went on, the idea stayed the same.

Alex smiled. "Yeah, me too," she said.

"I have to go," Ephram said, getting up. 

"Thanks, Ephram," she said, standing up to give him a hug.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"Alexis, why aren't you packed?" her mother asked her that night.

"I'm not going back to L.A.," Alex said firmly.

"What? It is your home there," her father said.

"No, Dad, Everwood is my home now."

He frowned. "I thought you would be happy that we want you back in L.A."

"I am happy that you think I've done well enough here to deserve to go back, but that doesn't mean that I want to go back," she answered.

"Is it because of that boy we met yesterday?" her mother inquired.

"Colin is part of the reason, but there are others," she answered.

"If he's so important, then why didn't you tell us about him?" her father asked doubtfully.

"You never showed any interest in my personal life. All you guys ever cared about was school," she said.

"It's not that we didn't care about anything else. A good education is just the priority," her mother said.

"And I understand that. I'm doing well here and I will go to the best college I can get into. Something I've learned to do here is manage my own life. I've been juggling school, work, friends, everything and it's been good. I need to stay, above all else, for myself," she explained.

Her parents looked at each other and back to her, seeing for the first time that their rebellious teenage daughter had grown into a mature and responsible woman. They had never been prouder.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"Hey, stranger." 

Colin looked up at the dark silhouette sitting on his front steps. "Hi," he said approaching her slowly. He had been dreading this moment for two days.

"You're mom said you were out and didn't expect you back for an hour or so," she said, standing on the step closest to the ground so that she was eye level with Colin.

"When was that?" he asked her.

Alex checked her watch. "About two hours ago," she said.

Colin looked at her strangely. "You waited here all this time?" Granted it was summer time, but the nights got cold. Alex's ears and nose were red. 

Alex nodded. "Didn't know how else I could get to see you. You've been avoiding me for the past two days," she said frankly.

Colin frowned. "I've been busy," he said lamely.

"Doing?"

"Reassessing our relationship," he answered.

"Oh?"

"Sorta had to. I thought I would have ranked being mentioned to your parents, but apparently not and so I had to think about whether or not I was okay with this," he said, avoiding her eyes.

"And?" Alex asked softly.

"I'm not okay with it. When we first started dating we told my parents we were together the first week. And it's just something I assumed you'd tell your parents and the fact that you didn't really made me think if I'm in this relationship more than you are..."

"Colin..."

"No, I've thought about this for two days. I think, I think you should go back to L.A.," Colin said as firmly as he could.

"What?" Alex asked, amazed.

"And I think we should break up," he added, faltering slightly as he said that.

"Woow, what?!?" Alex exclaimed.

He shifted uncomfortably. "It's for the best."

"Bullshit!" Alex retorted. "Is this all stemming from my not telling my parents about us?"

"No. But I know how much you love Los Angeles, and there's no way we can do a long distance relationship so I thought it'd be better this way," he answered. He hated seeing Alex so upset, so he still didn't look at her.

Alex sighed. "Do you realize that you never asked me if I was going back to L.A.? You just assumed," she said, calming down.

Colin looked at her and was silent.

"Assuming makes an ass out of you and me," she said.

He laughed. "So...what are you saying?"

"I'm staying here," Alex stated.

His eyes shot up to hers. "Really? Why?" he asked.

"Because I want to," Alex replied.

"Don't stay because of me," Colin said determinedly.

"Huh, you thought that I didn't care about you enough to mention you to my parents yet you also think I care about you enough to stay here with you," Alex commented

Colin blushed with embarrassment regarding his faulty logic and over active imagination. 

"You're a wreck when you think too much," she teased. "I'm staying for me. I have a life here, I have friends here, this is my home now." She took his hand in hers and stroked it gently. "But I'll give you an ego boost," she added. "You're the main reason this is home to me. You're my home."

Colin couldn't help but smile. But something occurred to him, "Then why didn't you tell your parents about me?"

Alex sighed. "You have no idea how lucky you are to have parents who really care about all that's going on in your life. My parents, until today, tended to be overly critical of things, and I didn't want them to judge you or our relationship when they never even met you or really knew me. We had a very formal relationship as I grew up," Alex explained.

Colin nodded his head in understanding. "Okay, I get it."

"Good. So...are we still breaking up?" Alex asked carefully.

"No," he said.

She smiled wide. "Perfect," she said, giving him a kiss.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"This place is gorgeous," Alex said, mesmerized by the glistening blue water.

"It's called Buck's Rock. Bright, Amy and I used to come here all the time during the summer to swim and hang out," Colin said. "I actually remember that now," he added. 

Alex smiled as she put her blanket on the rocks and sat down. 

"Bright went to pick up Ephram and Amy at Ephram's house; they should be here soon. In the mean time..." Colin said mischievously, sitting down very close to her and wrapping an arm around her bare midriff where her green bikini didn't cover.

Alex chuckled lightly before leaning in to kiss him. 

"Hey, bro! Oh geez, sorry," Bright said uncomfortably, looking away when he saw Alex and Colin kissing. 

They laughed. "No worries, Bright," Alex replied cheerfully. 

When Colin and Alex first started dating, Bright had to decide what was important to him. Colin and Amy eventually forsook the popular group to spend time with Alex and Ephram without dealing with criticism, but Bright stayed with their old group of friends for a while longer. He didn't have girlfriend in the unpopular crowd like Colin did, but he realized eventually that though this Colin was different in many ways from before, he really liked him. The popularity eventually took a seat behind maintaining his important friendships. And when he really got to know Alex as a person, he thought she was pretty cool and they became friends. 

Little did Bright know that other students thought higher of him, Colin, and Amy for not being in the stuck-up, popular crowd.

"Awesome place," Ephram commented. 

"Isn't it? Can't find someplace like this in the city, that's for sure," Alex said, looking at Ephram. He wore long blue swimming trunks and a white shirt. This was the first time Alex had seen him in something other than long pants. She laughed.

"What?" Ephram asked.

"You need a tan," Amy answered, smiling at Alex. Alex nodded in agreement.

Ephram looked down at his bare calves, "Okay, so I might be a little pale..."

"I was thinking of _pasty_," Alex teased. 

Ephram smiled, embarrassed. "Then I guess I hafta get started on that tan," he said, taking off his shirt.

"You're chest could be used as a reflector," Amy commented, trying to keep a straight face while teasing him.

"What is this? Gang up on Ephram day?" he asked

Amy caught the twinge of annoyance in his voice. "Aw, sorry, sweetie," she cooed softly, kissing him to make amends. 

"Is this gonna be a suck face marathon or something?" Bright asked, slightly flustered.

"I love that you're so delicate with words," Colin said sarcastically. 

They all laughed. 

"Can we go in the water now?" Alex asked.

"Yeah, let's go," Colin said, helping Alex up. 

"C'mon, Bright," Alex said, grabbing his arm. "Let Ephram and Amy suck face while he works on the tan," she teased.

Ephram and Amy blushed while Colin and Bright laughed heartily.

Colin climbed onto the tree branch and jumped in. When he came up from the water he yelled, "It's really warm, c'mon!"

Alex followed carefully and dove in. "Wow, it is warm," she said, looking at Colin mischievously.

Bright did a canon ball into the water and screamed, "Holy crap! It's freezing cold you guys!"

Colin and Alex laughed and Bright realized they had played a trick on him. He splashed at them playfully and they splashed back. Soon there was an all out water fight and Ephram and Amy also joined in.

A few hours later, the five of them laid out in the sun to dry. 

"When do the fireworks start?" Alex asked, getting slightly sleepy from the warm sun.

"About seven," Bright answered.

"Good, we have six hours then," Ephram commented.

"You dork," Amy said, playfully swatting him. "We still have to go to the fair."

"Why are there so many fairs?" Alex asked.

"Nothing else better to do, I guess," Bright replied.

"This is better," Colin said.

"Much better," Alex concurred, kissing him.

"Colin, how do you feel?" Amy asked carefully.

He knew why she asked this. It had been a year since the accident that put him in a coma, and what a year it had been. Though he was only conscious for six months of it, it was an amazing six months. He sat up to look at lake and the rocks.

"I feel blessed," he said happily, turning to his group of smiling friends. He finally knew who he was and where he belonged.

~The End~

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